Fighting for their lives
by BenslerandBarisi
Summary: Novel Length CM drama story. The return of multiple deadly unsubs puts the lives of the BAU at risk. Will the BAU find peace? Will they fall in love? Who will survive and who won't? Will these unsubs be put six feet underground? Will the BAU ever have normal lives again?
1. Extreme Aggressor

Becky Harris stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror. At 18 years old, she was one of her school's most popular girls. She had chocolate-brown hair that came past her shoulders. Her dark green eyes sparkled like diamonds when she stood outside in the sun. Her ankle-length silver prom dress was the most expensive thing her mother had ever bought for her. But unfortunately, Becky's mother had to have passed away so suddenly, leaving her behind with her abusive father.

Mr. Harris seemed like a nice guy to get to know, but inside, he was mean and cold-hearted. He didn't care about Becky at all, and blamed her for her mother's death four months ago. He spent more time with his girlfriend, Rebecca, then with Becky.

The girl heard the doorbell ring, and knew that her boyfriend was outside, waiting to take her to prom.

But Becky didn't even have to react. A masked figure entered the house, holding a butcher knife, and immediately stabbed her in the leg with the weapon.

She felt the blade cut through her skin, going right through her femoral artery. Blood began pooling from her leg, staining her cream-colored carpet.

Suddenly, she felt another blade touching her neck. The knife punctured the skin, cutting her jugular vein and carotid artery. Dark red blood began spraying the walls, staining pictures and drawings.

Becky felt the darkness closing around her. Black spots were clouding her vision. She figured that she was either going unconscious or was dying because she figured that she had lost over two pints of blood in about 30 seconds.

"Becky, I'm here," a voice whispered in her head. "I've missed you."

She felt her body go numb, and then saw nothing but darkness.

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The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia, was always a busy place. Chasing serial killers, hunting down stalkers, abductors, and rapists was a hard job.

SSAs Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid, Jennifer "JJ" Jareau, Penelope Garcia, and Elle Greenaway were taking a small, brief break from work to fill up their growling stomachs.

Unit Chief Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner and Agent Jason Gideon were eating lunch in Hotch's office, talking about the upcoming trip to the bar after work.

In the bullpen, Morgan pulled up a video parody of "What Makes You Beautiful" and immediately, everyone started laughing.

Hotch felt his phone vibrate and saw that he had received a text from Section Chief Erin Strauss, telling him that his team was needed on a new case.

"Conference room, we have a case," Hotch said, throwing his salad back into his mini-fridge.

"I'll get the others," Gideon replied, wrapping up his turkey sandwich and tossing it in the fridge next to the salad.

When he walked out into the bullpen, he found the team eating lunch and completely distracted by something on Morgan's computer.

"Conference room, now," Gideon said.

The others threw their lunches into their bags and followed the agent into the conference room, to find Hotch standing in front of the screen displaying their latest case. The SSAs took their seats around the reddish-brown mahogany table, which was already covered with old case files.

"Yesterday evening, the body of 18-year-old Becky Harris was found in her bedroom. She had been stabbed once, the first time in the leg, which cut her femoral artery. Her throat was slit just several seconds after. The M.E. still hasn't made a certain cause of death, but he thinks that she died of exsanguination," Hotch said, pulling up a photo of Becky, along with ten other girls.

"Becky matches The Fisher King's M.O, which is females in their late teens to early 20s. Ten other girls just like Becky were abducted over a span of two years and their bodies were found in an alleyway a week later. He has never been caught."

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The FBI agent sitting at his desk in the bullpen was extremely distracted by Hotch's team talking in the conference room. The agent was trying to focus on tracking some bank accounts on his desk computer, but Hotch's team was much more interesting to look at. He spotted the woman with dark hair, laying back in the swivel chair and listening to her boss talk about the Fisher King.

_Mine,_ he thought. _She's mine. She's just like Becky and the others. _

But he knew that there would be some obstacles in his way. First on his list was Jason Gideon and Aaron Hotchner. Those two men would just glare at you and you would never want to do anything stupid in front of them ever again. Then there was the technical analyst Garcia who was probably the best tracker in the state. She would be able to identify pretty much anything in so short of time that he would have no time to escape or to carry out his plan.

The agent groaned in frustration. He knew that his plan to snatch Elle would be ruined once again.

"I must plan more carefully," he said to himself. "I've got work to do."

He pulled up a blank Word document and began typing away.

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15 minutes later, the agent looked up from his typing to find Hotch and his team leaving the conference room and heading towards the back of the BAU, towards the private jet. Unbeknownst to Hotch, his phone had been bugged, allowing the perfidious double agent to read all his texts, hear his calls, and hack his work and personal emails.

"Hotch, you have no idea what's coming your way. Maybe I'll just have a little fun with that pretty little wife of yours," the agent said, revealing a burner phone and heading towards the bathrooms, where he could make a private phone call.

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Haley Brooks-Hotchner had just stepped out of the shower when she heard her phone ringing. Drying her hands on her towel, she picked up the phone and saw that the number was unknown. Thinking it was one of the BAU, she answered the call.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Mrs. Hotchner? I'm so glad that you picked up the phone. After three rings, I was afraid I would never hear your voice," the strange person replied.

"Who are you?" Haley asked, regretting picking up the phone.

"My name doesn't matter to you at all. What matters to you is that your husband will pay for what he did to me all those years ago. He will lose someone important to him, and that person could be you."

"I don't know who you think you are, but stay away from me, or my husband will hunt you down," Haley said, trying to sound threatening.

"Too late. I've already selected my next victim. Expect a phone call from me in the next three days. I know your husband will only be gone that long. Be prepared."

The line went dead, and Haley found herself hyperventilating. She knew immediately that she had to call her husband and let him know what had just happened.

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Hotch was sitting near the middle of the plane, his laptop on and ready to receive any call from Garcia or Strauss.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed before the plane was about to taxi onto the runway.

"Hotchner," he said.

"Aaron, honey, it's me, Haley," the frantic voice of his wife replied into the phone.

"Haley, what's wrong?"

"Someone called me just about two minutes ago. He or she threatened me about you. They said that you were going to pay for something that you did to them years ago. They said that you would lose someone important to you, and that person could be me."

"I'm on my way home right now. I'll tell the team I can't come with them on this case. I love you."

"Love you too."

Once Hotch hung up the phone, he heard JJ telling the pilots not to taxi until the phone call was ended.

"Everything ok, Hotch?" Gideon asked, noticing his best friend's worried expression.

"I'm not sure, but you and the team will have to continue this case without me. There's an emergency with Haley. She said that someone was threatening her about me, and I need to be home with her," Hotch said. "Gideon, you're in charge."

"Hopefully everything's ok. Call us if you need anything."

"I will, thanks."

Grabbing his briefcase, Gideon told JJ the news and the pilots turned back towards the BAU.

Once at the gate, Hotch immediately headed towards the 'sign in/out' sheet, signed himself out, made sure both of his weapons were fully loaded and raced home.

But when he got home, a surprise was awaiting him.

Hotch had just barely set his keys on the mantel, when he heard a terrifying scream come from upstairs. He knew that scream right away. It was Haley, and it meant that she was in trouble.

Pulling out one of his guns, he quickly ran up the stairs, and stepped inside the master bedroom...to find a figure, dressed entirely in black, wearing a mask, and holding Haley close to him. She had a loaded gun pointed at her head, and tears pooled in her eyes.

"Let her go," Hotch snarled at the person.

"Not a chance. You will set BOTH of your weapons on the ground, and kick them over to me. Disobey, and I kill your wife."

**TBC... **

***A/N: I don't own any characters, except for the victims and some unsubs, and possibly new family members. Everyone else belongs to Jeff Davis and CBS. Most unsubs in this story will be actual unsubs used on Criminal Minds, but I changed some of their M.O.'s. Rossi, Emily, Blake, and Seaver will appear later on in the story.***

**~Who is this mysterious agent? And what does he want with Hotch? Next chapter up soon.~**


	2. Unknown Subject

"Disobey, and I kill your wife."

Those were the last words that Hotch heard before falling unconscious on the floor of the bedroom. The person had shoved Haley to the ground and pulled out a can of an unknown substance. Whatever was inside was sprayed in his face, and he felt his body going numb.

"Aaron, no! You can't die on me!" Haley had shouted, but was slapped in the face.

"Leave...her..alone," Hotch mumbled, but no words came out.

The last thing he had seen was the sight of his wife being dragged out of the room before the entire world around him faded to black.

Sometime later, he regained consciousness...only to discover that his hands had been handcuffed behind him and his mouth was covered by a strip of duct tape.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" the person said, holding up Hotch's FBI credentials and ringing cell phone.

"BAU Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner," the person continued, reading the name on the ID. "Looks like someone really wants to talk to you." Then, they read the caller ID on the phone. "Who's Jason Gideon?"

Hotch's eyes widened. Gideon was someone that the agent looked up to as a father figure since his own father had abused him as a child.

"Oh, right, you can't speak."

The person ripped off the tape, and held the phone close to Hotch.

"You will call him back, and tell him that everything's ok. Otherwise, I will hurt Haley and her unborn child."

Hotch was astounded. Haley was pregnant? How was he not informed of this news?

"I've been keeping an eye on you for a while now. You are just so fascinating to study and watch. How everyone looks up to you as a role model. Too bad that you're going to lose that opportunity."

The person left the room and came back a couple minutes later, half-dragging Haley with him. Her face was covered in sweat and her eyes were still pooling with tears.

"Haley!" he exclaimed. Then he did his best death-glare at the unsub. "What did you do to her?"

"I did nothing. This is all your fault. If you hadn't prosecuted me all those years ago, involving me in the death of my daughter, then none of this would had to have happened. Now, you're going to call Gideon back and tell him that everything's ok."

The person pulled up his name in the contacts info, and held the phone to Hotch's ear in one hand, while the other pointed a gun at the side of his head.

"Try anything funny, and the next thing Jason's going to hear is a bullet going right into your head."

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Gideon stared at his phone for the umpteenth time in the last half hour. He had called Hotch twice, and so far, there hadn't been a response. The agent had gotten a bad feeling that something terrible was going to happen when Hotch went home.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Gideon answered the call.

"Hotch, thank goodness. I was getting worried."

"I'm ok, Jason," Hotch's voice said. But Gideon noticed that the tone of voice sounded scared or nervous.

Hotch was trying hard not to sound like he was in trouble. But with a gun touching the side of his head, and his wife tied to the bed, it was hard to keep his tone normal.

"Hotch, are you sure you're ok? You sound very nervous," Gideon said.

"I'm fine, Jason. But I do appreciate your call."

Suddenly, the sound of breaking glass was heard. Gideon stood up, alarmed. He knew that something had happened to Hotch.

"Aaron really enjoyed talking to you, but now it's my turn," an unfamiliar voice replied. "Hope you had a nice chat."

"Who is this?" Gideon's tone became threatening.

"Now, now, I wouldn't be saying things like that to the person who holds your boss's life in my hands. You will do as I say, or Hotch here will pay the price. You will continue the case and pretend as if everything's alright. You will not be turning around and coming back home to Quantico. If I see that you or any of his team members have arrived back here, I won't hesitate to hurt him or his beloved Haley."

"Fine," Gideon muttered.

"Good. I'll expect you to be at the Hotchner house the moment you land back in Quantico. I will offer you a trade, and you will either take it or leave. I will contact you soon."

The line went dead, and the agent put his head in his hands. What was he supposed to do? He cared about Hotch, and now his Unit Chief was being held somewhere unknown.

But Gideon couldn't do anything, because he was 35,000 feet high above the skies of Virginia.

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"Good job, my friend," the man said, snatching Hotch's phone out of his hand again. "Gideon and the team will be continuing this case without you. He must pretend as though nothing is going on here."

"You little- what did you tell him?" Hotch snapped, still struggling against the handcuffs.

"I told him that you had a nice chat with him, and the fact that he can't come back home to Quantico just yet. I've decided to arrange a trade. His life for yours."

"No! Leave him out of this! Do whatever you want to me, but leave Gideon alone."

"I'm sorry, but are you the one giving the orders around here? I think not. If I say that Gideon will be involved in this situation, then he will."

The man slapped Hotch in the face. "You don't feel my pain. And it's all the pain that YOU caused me. You don't care about my pain. But I will make you pay. And you will lose someone important to you."

TBC…


	3. The Seattle Strangler

"Gideon will track you down. And he will kill you," Hotch glared at the unsub.

"Like I care? No, I don't. I really don't care. But since Gideon can't come and rescue you, you and your wife will be my prisoners. Haley here will be my slave."

"Do what you want to me, but leave my wife alone. She had nothing to do with this."

"I'm in charge here!" the unsub snapped, slapping the Unit Chief in the face. "I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. And right now, Haley will do what I tell her to do."

~CriminalMinds~

Gideon and the team arrived in North Carolina, where Becky Harris had died. He was the last person to step off the plane. Elle, JJ, Morgan, and Reid were already headed towards the airport to grab their luggage.

Gideon didn't get very far before he heard a familiar voice talk to him from somewhere off in the distance. It was Timothy "Tim" Vogel, AKA The Seattle Strangler.

"It's been so long," Tim said, pulling out something from his back pocket.

"What do you want?" Gideon snapped. Somehow, Tim managed to escape from prison and was now out in the world, going after more people.

"Revenge. You put me in prison, so now you're going to pay for all your mistakes. I do only hope that you will cooperate."

Jason felt something prick his neck. Whatever Tim had given him was fast acting, because the profiler was already going numb. His vision was fading and the darkness closed around him.

Just before he went unconscious, he heard the vicious voice of his captor speaking into the phone. The unsub was talking to Morgan.

"You will never get him back."

~CriminalMinds~

Morgan and Elle had just stepped into Becky's house when he suddenly heard his phone buzz. Thinking that his BabyGirl had just called, he opened his voicemail. But he was even more astounded when he saw that Gideon was the person who had called.

He pressed 'play' and heard an unfamiliar voice speaking.

"You're too late, Agent Morgan. You're already too late to save him. You will never get him back," the taunting voice said. The voicemail ended and Morgan almost dropped his phone on the floor, near a large pool of blood.

"Elle, we've got a problem, but I don't know what happened. Someone just called me and said 'You will never get him back,'" Morgan said.

"Wait, before you continue, where's Gideon?" Elle asked.

"He's not with you?"

"No, last time I saw him was back at the plane. That was 45 minutes ago."

"JJ! Reid!"

The other two profilers entered the room.

"Have you seen Gideon?" Morgan asked.

JJ and Reid looked at each other and shook their heads.

Morgan suddenly paled. He realized that the person who had called him on the phone was talking about Gideon.

Elle heard her phone ring. "Hello?" "WHAT? He's back?! Garcia, are you sure? Ok, thanks. Call you when we arrive."

"What happened?" JJ asked.

"Hotch just arrived back at work. He's fine. Someone held him and Haley captive in their home, but released them after learning that Gideon had been abducted."

"Gideon's been abducted?!" Reid said, completely astounded.

"The person who took him called me!" Morgan cried. "That creep called me using Gideon's phone!"

"Morgan, calm down, we will find him," JJ said.

~CriminalMinds~

Gideon awoke to a stinging pain in his neck. He was sitting in a chair with his hands tied behind his back. The Seattle Strangler entered the room, carrying a burner phone.

"Mr. Hotchner is going to be so disappointed once he learns who has you," Tim said, dialing Hotch. "I only hope that he will have enough money to pay for your ransom. But unfortunately, whatever amount of money he gives me will never be enough. You will never leave here."

"This is Agent Hotchner," the Unit Chief said.

"Mr. Hotchner, what a pleasure it is to speak to you again," Tim replied. "I believe that I have something of yours."

"What have you done to him?" Hotch demanded.

"Nothing that concerns you."

"What did he ever do to you?"

"He put me in jail. He must pay for what he did to me. He will suffer. You will never see your beloved co-worker again."

TBC...


	4. Compulsion

"If you're not going to comply with me, then we'll have to do this the hard way," Tim said, after ending the call. He walked towards his helpless hostage. "You will become my accomplice and you will do everything I tell you to do."

Grabbing Gideon's wrist, the Seattle Strangler cut the zip-ties and led his hostage into another room. It was isolated from the rest of the house, and the room had no windows.

The Strangler led Jason over to a strange device attached to wooden posts in the middle of the room. Forcing him to stand against the wood, the perpetrator made sure Jason wouldn't escape. His wrists were locked on either side of him with metal cuffs. A helmet was placed on his head, and was locked just under his chin. Jason noticed that the skin under his eyes had been pulled down, and were being held inside several small clips attached to the helmet.

He was somewhat in pain, and then was greeted by the sight of something spinning. His eyes were focused on the spinning spiral on the screen in front of him.

"This won't hurt at all," Tim said, shutting and locking the door behind him.

Jason couldn't do anything to get himself free, and was stuck staring at the spiral for an hour until Tim returned. The Strangler stood in front of the screen, temporarily blocking the thing that seemed to be blinding Gideon.

"You ready to comply?" Tim sneered.

"Go away," Jason snapped.

"Fine then, you asked for it. I'll be back in an hour."

~CriminalMinds~

An hour later, Gideon's eyes were hurting from not being able to blink for two hours. Tim entered the room and shut off the screen. When he looked at his hostage, he saw a different look in his eyes and smiled sadistically.

Tim unlocked the metal cuffs and whispered something in his hostage's ear. Jason headed off into another room of the house, while Tim hurried down the hall to his office.

Five minutes later, Jason entered the office, a grin on his face and a file in his hand.

"I got the file just like you asked me to," Gideon said, handing the file to his new boss.

"Thank you very much," Tim replied, taking the papers. The BAU logo was clearly stamped on the front of the folder.

"Happy to comply," Gideon said, smiling sadistically. He knew that he wasn't going to be leaving Tim anytime soon and heading back to the BAU to help his team. Actually, he didn't have a team anymore. The faces and names of people he cared about were gone. He didn't know who Morgan, JJ, Reid, Elle, Garcia, or Hotch were anymore. All he knew was that they were part of a team from the FBI known as the Behavioral Analysis Unit, or BAU, and that they hunted down criminals using profiles.

"The BAU is a bad place. The people working there want to kill you. And they will," Tim said.

Gideon listened to his new boss give him orders.

"I will do that right away, sir," Jason said.

~CriminalMinds~

Clara Hayes sat outside her college's front office, when she was approached by Gideon. She started to back away, but when she saw that he was FBI, she took a few steps forward.

"I'm Agent Gideon, could I talk to you for a minute?" he asked.

Clara nodded her head. "Sure," she replied.

Once she was away from the campus, Gideon started talking to her. He agreed to help her commit a small series of crimes that wouldn't result in anyone's death.

It was 3:33 PM in the afternoon, and Gideon handed Clara a match, making sure that the camera wouldn't pick up on either one of them. She struck the match on a match box, and set some grass and a bush on fire. Then, Clara and Gideon made a run for it, running towards Tim's house.

He knocked on the door, and his boss opened the door.

"Jason, what are you doing here?"

"I completed my assignment, and now I'll be on the run from the place you call the BAU," Jason replied.

"Excellent. Tomorrow, at the same time, you will set another fire."

"Yes, Sir," Gideon replied.

Tim stepped inside and let Jason and Clara enter. She was given the guest room, and just as she set her binder and notebooks down, she noticed that her mother had texted.

**Mom:** Where r u?

**Clara:** At a friend's. It's Friday, so I'm spending the night.

**Mom:** A girl or boy?

**Clara:** Girl.

**Mom:** Ok, see you Saturday.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch was sitting in his office, trying to figure out if Gideon had a message anywhere in the phone call. He heard a knock, and said, "Come in."

Elle entered with a grim look on her face. "Hotch, I've got bad news. One, the DNA results that we found in Becky's house came back. It's the Seattle Strangler, boss. One of Gideon's old cases. And two, your official BAU file appears to be missing, or stolen. The lock containing all our files was unlocked, but I found several scratches on the drawer. I think the file was stolen."

"How could anyone just break into the drawer and steal our files? The only people who have access to that drawer is my team."

"We will have to look at the security camera feeds and take a closer look."

Hotch and Elle headed into Section Chief Strauss's office, and saw that she wasn't in the room.

"Hotch, are you sure you want to use her computer?" Elle asked. "We could get in huge trouble."

"I'll be fine, because she let me use it in the past if mine wasn't working. And she's the only one who has access to the security camera feeds. She only told me the password, and no one else can know what it is."

Hotch sat in her desk chair and turned on his boss's computer. He entered a password, only to realize that Strauss had changed the pass code.

The Section Chief entered the room a minute later, a new engagement ring on her finger.

"Agent Hotchner, what are you doing at my computer?" she asked.

"My file's been stolen," Hotch said. "My file. The official file that everyone has while working here. And the only people who have access to the drawer where my file is are my team and I know them well enough that they would never do something like that."

"Your file? Isn't it locked?"

"Someone had a key and opened the drawer. There were scratches. Someone broke in and stole it. I had hoped that I could see the security camera feeds to see if I could find anything, but the password has changed. Did you change it?"

"No, I haven't changed it in two years."

"Who's the lucky man?" Elle asked, while Strauss walked over to the computer and tried to input the password, but got the same result as Hotch.

"Dave Rossi," Strauss said. "He proposed at lunch today. I don't know when we're getting married yet."

She groaned in frustration. "Darn it, why doesn't this pass code work?!"

Suddenly, her computer beeped. The screen went dark and a message appeared a few seconds later.

MISSING SOMEONE?

The message disappeared and focused on an unknown room. A figure was handcuffed to wooden posts. The person wore a helmet, and was seemingly forced to watch something on another screen.

Elle ran into the bullpen and called Morgan, JJ, Reid, and Garcia into Strauss's office.

When Reid saw the screen, he gasped in horror.

"That's Gideon…" the genius began, but couldn't finish his sentence.

"What's happening to him?" JJ exclaimed, watching her co-worker being unable to blink.

"He's been forced to stare at something, but I don't know what," Hotch said.

The screen went dark and another message appeared.

TWO HOURS LATER…

The message disappeared and was now focused on Gideon again. The metal cuffs had been unlocked, and he looked like he was having trouble focusing. Another man came into the room, and Morgan gasped.

"Oh no, that's the Seattle Strangler," he said. "The man who killed Becky Harris."

The Strangler whispered something to Gideon, and the profiler disappeared into another room. Five minutes later, the camera shifted to an office in another part of the unknown building.

"Oh no…" Hotch said, seeing a part of a tan folder. Gideon pulled the folder out and handed it to the man sitting behind the desk. The BAU's stamped logo came into view, and then came Hotch's full name.

"No, it can't be!" he said. Gideon was just smiling.

"I got the folder just like you asked," the profiler said to the Strangler.

"Thank you very much," the killer replied.

"Happy to comply."

Hotch realized that Gideon was working for The Seattle Strangler. How could his best friend, who he had known for over 15 years, betray the BAU like this?

"Gideon…he just stole my file. He just gave it to the Seattle Strangler. I don't how I'll ever forgive him for this."

Strauss's computer then showed the security camera feeds from two days earlier. It showed Gideon, looking straight into the camera, and then unlocked the drawer using his key. Jason reached into the drawer and took Hotch's file out, locking the door behind him and heading out the door.

Morgan and JJ had astonished looks on their faces. They couldn't believe that someone they knew and trusted had betrayed them. Elle was speechless and excused herself to head out to the bullpen. Hotch's hands became fists, and he slammed his fists against the wall. Strauss grabbed her phone and dialed her fiancé to tell him the news.

But the news hit Reid the hardest. Gideon had been like a father to Reid, since the genius never had one. And now Reid had been betrayed the most.

The BAU had walked straight into the arms of the enemy. And they would never be the same again.

~CriminalMinds~

Reid stormed out of Strauss's office, furious at Gideon. The genius had trusted him more than his own life, and now the trust had dissolved like salt sinking to the bottom of a glass of water. And there was no one to take a spoon and stir the salt into the water. The salt just stayed at the bottom.

JJ ran after him, pulling him into a hug.

"How, JJ? He betrayed me! I trusted him!" Reid said.

"He betrayed us all, Spence. It's going to be hard for all of us. Do you remember when Will left me for Haley?" JJ replied.

"Haley...as you mean, Hotch's wife?"

"Yes. Hotch knows nothing. Haley is pregnant with Will's child. She already has divorce papers drawn up and waiting for Hotch's signature."

JJ had developed a crush on Reid a couple of weeks after Will left her. She needed to let her co-worker know how she felt about him.

"Spence, I need to tell you something," she said. "Don't hate me for this."

"What?" he asked, but couldn't ask any more because JJ was kissing him. The Jennifer Jareau. Quantico's top media liaison for 6 years.

"JJ…" he began.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have-"

He interrupted her by kissing her back.

"JJ, I love you," he said. "I always have."

"Me too."

They attempted to kiss again, but immediately scurried off once they heard Hotch walk out of Strauss's office. JJ stood in front of the copy machine, pretending to copy papers about Gideon's abduction. Reid was standing in front of the whiteboard, trying to figure out Tim's location.

"Agent Jareau, Doctor Reid, my office now," Hotch said.

TBC...


	5. Hijacked

Reid and JJ entered Hotch's office, receiving strange looks from their boss. They knew that they would be in big trouble for PDA in the workplace.

"So, how long has a romantic relationship in the workplace been going on between you two?" Hotch asked once his two teammates had taken a seat in front of his desk.

"It actually just happened before you told us to come in here, Hotch," JJ said. "It just happened."

"Since it hasn't been very long, you won't be getting reprimanded. But this is a warning. You may continue your relationship, but in the workplace, you must stay professional. Whatever happens outside of work is your business. Understood?"

"Yes, Hotch," Reid and JJ said.

"Ok, then get back to work."

The two agents left the office and headed back out to the bullpen where a smiling Garcia was demanding that Morgan give her 20 dollars for losing the bet on whether Reid and JJ were a couple.

~CriminalMinds~

Clara stood outside her college, waiting the last bell to ring. She had agreed to commit another crime at 3:33 PM that day, which was starting another fire. She had already set four fires, and so far, no one had gotten hurt. But she enjoyed burning things, so she decided to continue doing what she had started. And with a brainwashed FBI agent on her side, he could easily hide evidence from the members of his former team.

At 3:33 PM, Clara walked into the history classroom and found it empty. The only person inside was a student named Matthew Rowland. When he saw Clara, he said hi, but only received silence in response.

When he wasn't looking, she quietly pulled out a match and a matchbox. She set the match on fire...and dropped it over a pile of ungraded papers. The fire quickly spread, setting off the smoke alarm. Clara locked the doors behind her as she ran out, trapping Matthew in the classroom with no way out.

"Clara, what are you doing?" he shouted. But she never looked behind her as she exited the campus, running towards Gideon, who had a car waiting for her.

In the classroom, Matthew was trying to open the windows, but the smoke level was so thick that he began having trouble breathing. His eyes burned, and his vision was spinning. His life was flashing before his eyes, and he knew that he was going to die.

He saw the flames coming straight towards him and then nothing else.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch was sitting in his office when his desk phone rang. He answered the call.

"This is Agent Hotchner," he said.

"It's Strauss. We have a new case," the Section Chief replied. "Conference room, five minutes."

Hotch headed out into the bullpen and found Reid and JJ standing close to each other while reading the whiteboard. Garcia was sitting at Morgan's desk, trying to destroy a virus that had infected his computer. And standing by Reid and JJ was David Rossi, a man who had retired from the BAU many years ago. Elle was nowhere to be seen.

"Dave?" Hotch said.

The former profiler turned around, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Hotch, so good to see you!" he said, giving the Unit Chief a hug. "How have you been?"

"Pretty good," Hotch replied. "What brings you back to the BAU?"

"I heard about Gideon, and Erin asked me to come back and take his place. I'm so sorry."

"Thanks. I just can't believe that someone I knew and trusted for 15 years went out and betrayed me. He betrayed my entire team. Reid and Elle have been hit the hardest. Gideon was like a father to Reid. And Gideon was Elle's boyfriend. He supposedly cheated on her with a woman named Sarah, but that was false."

Strauss walked out of her office and called everyone to the conference room, where Garcia was already pulling up pictures of the latest crime.

"Matthew Rowland, 19, was found burnt to death by his teacher, professor Wallace. Wallace was at lunch at the time of the crime, and when he came back, he found his room burnt along with the body," Garcia said.

"Did Wallace have any idea what might have started the fire?" Reid asked.

"Possibly, because he remembered having a pile of ungraded papers on one of the desks and they were partially burned, but not entirely ash. He thinks that the papers were where the fire began."

"Wheels up in 15," Hotch said.

~CriminalMinds~

Gideon sat in the pilot's seat of the BAU's private jet alongside his new boss. The real pilot and co-pilot were both dead, and had been stuffed in the cargo hold, where no one would even think about looking for a body.

"Sir, the BAU is heading to Nevada to check out the scene of Clara's latest crime. What shall we do?" Gideon asked.

"We're going to lead them off course, and land in Arizona. There, we'll leave them exposed to the elements and have them die," the boss replied. "You understand what to do?"

"Yes, sir, I'm always happy to comply."

"Good, now prepare the plane for takeoff."

Gideon made sure the plane was ready to go, and heard the members of his former team boarding the jet and settling down in their seats.

"We shall be landing in Vegas in about five hours, so sit back and enjoy the flight," Gideon said, using a voice changer to sound like the original pilots.

Four hours later, Hotch awoke to some turbulence and noticed that Morgan was wide awake. He was heading up towards the cockpit door.

"Morgan, what are you doing?" the Unit Chief asked.

"Something's wrong. The plane's descending and it's only been about four hours since we took off," Morgan replied.

Hotch headed up to the door and knocked.

"Sir, why is the plane descending when we're not even near Nevada yet?" he asked.

"Sit down, Agent Hotchner, otherwise you and your team are going to pay for it," the voice said.

He paled. He realized that Gideon was the one flying the plane and had hijacked the controls.

"You...how could you? How could you betray us?"

Gideon opened the door, a cold expression on his face and a gun in his hand, which he pointed at Hotch.

"I won't ask you again, Agent Hotchner. SIT DOWN or one of your team members gets it."

Elle heard the commotion and was astounded to find her boyfriend pointing his gun at her boss.

"Gideon...please, you don't have to do this," she said. "I love you, but it doesn't have to end this way."

"Who do you think you are? I'm not going out with you. I don't even know who you are. You have no right to tell me what I can and can't do. I'm in charge here, and you will obey what I say."

"What...what's going on with you? Gideon, it's me. Elle. We work together. We've been going out for a year and we're going to be married in a month," she said, showing him the engagement ring.

"I don't know anyone by the name of Elle, nor do I care. I'm the one flying this plane. SIT DOWN!"

Elle was taken aback. She couldn't believe that her fiancé would do something like this, turning on everyone he cared about. She quickly walked back to her seat and let the tears fall.

"What happened?" JJ asked, grabbing Reid's hand.

"Gideon's hijacked the plane and is landing it nowhere near Vegas. He's got a gun pointed at Hotch. Gideon doesn't know who I am. He doesn't know who any of us are," Elle said.

"That's...that's not possible. Gideon's worked with Hotch for 15 years. How could he not know who his own boss is?"

"The only option is that he's been drugged or brainwashed. Someone did this to him, and I intend to put a stop to it now. He is my fiancé, and I need to help him."

"He's got a gun pointed at our boss, Elle, and he's going to hurt you if we don't do what he tells us to do."

The brown-haired agent reluctantly sat back down in her seat. Hotch came back as well, but his wrists had been handcuffed in front of him.

"He took my guns. Both of them," the Unit Chief said. "He handcuffed me and told me that we would be landing in about 15 minutes. From the sky view, it looks like we're somewhere over Arizona. He also said that he would confiscate all our electronics and weapons. All our IPads, laptops, cell phones, and pagers are either going to be turned off or the GPS will be removed. I'm hoping that Strauss will notice that something is wrong because we are below the radar."

"AGENTS," Gideon said over the intercom. "Please prepare for landing. Once we do in about 15 minutes, you will hand over all your weapons and electronics over to us. Then you will be told what to do next."

TBC...


	6. Broken

Erin stared at her computer screen. She hadn't heard anything from her fiancé since he had boarded the plane to Vegas. It had been seven hours since her team had left Quantico and they were supposed to have landed two hours ago. Air Traffic Control hadn't contacted her and she was becoming sick to her stomach with worry.

Suddenly, the phone rang, and Erin didn't even bother to look at the Caller ID.

"Hello?" she said.

"Yes, is this Section Chief Strauss?" a voice replied.

"Yes, this is she. Who is this?"

"This is Craig Landon from Air Traffic Control. We saw that a plane of yours was supposed to have landed in Vegas two hours ago. But it never arrived. We're looking through the radar to see if we can find it, but it looks like the signal disappeared just over the New Mexico/Arizona border," the man said.

"But...that's nowhere near Vegas. Why was the plane over in that area?"

"We're still trying to rule out the possibility of a crash, but we think that the plane was hijacked and lead off course."

"Please find them," Erin said. "My fiancé was on that flight."

"Ma'am, we will do our best and will call you when we hear any new details."

She put a hand over her mouth and silently prayed that Rossi and the team were alright.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch saw that the plane had landed, and that the rest of his team was looking at him with concern. They had no idea how they were going to get out of the situation. They had never experienced a hijacking before.

"We have now landed in Death Valley, California. You will be escorted off this plane immediately, and you will leave everything behind. All your electronics, food and water will be stored here," the Seattle Strangler's voice said over the intercom. "Be prepared for high temperatures. Even worse for you guys is that it's July. The hottest month of the year in this city."

The door opened and Hotch immediately felt the desert heat on his forehead. He had never been to Death Valley, but he had read all about the high temperatures. It had once been 134 degrees in 1913, but the temperature was in the high 110s during the summer. A list of dangers began running through his head, dehydration being the first. Then fatigue would set in.

"Off the plane," Gideon ordered harshly.

JJ and Elle were the first people off, and the hot sun began to beat down on them. They were lucky that they had drank some water while on the plane otherwise they would be even thirstier than normal.

Morgan and Reid stepped off next, with Rossi and Hotch getting off last. The Unit Chief tried to grab the smallest bottle of water available, but Jason just took it away from him.

The door shut behind them, and the six agents began walking from their only source of survival. After walking for about 10 minutes, they turned around and saw that the plane had taken off and was heading east, away from the group.

The profilers looked around at their new surroundings, but all they could see was cacti, dead plants, and...sand. Lots of sand.

Hotch and Rossi took off their jackets and dropped them on the ground, hoping that someone would find them and call for help. JJ and Reid ended up holding hands and trying to find large rocks to form a trail. They had no idea where they were going, and were scared that they would die a painful death.

After three hours, the sun began to set and the profilers were feeling the first effects of mild dehydration and fatigue. Reid leaned against a boulder and allowed JJ to use him as a pillow.

***This part is dedicated to HotchRocks. I feel bad for hurting your favorite character. :(.***

Hotch said that he was going to walk some more and see if he could find some help. He remembered to leave rocks on the ground as a trail for his team to find if he got stranded.

But leaving his team in a place that he had never been to would be the worst decision he would ever make.

He had walked a mile away from his team and thought he spotted a building in the distance when all of a sudden, his foot slipped out from underneath him. He had unknowingly stepped on a piece of dirt that wasn't secure. He fell to the ground, falling onto his behind and slipping off the side of the trail. The ground was covered in pebbles and little stones that did nothing to prevent him from falling any more. He slid about 30 feet down the side of the trail, and thought that a small ledge would prevent him from going even further away from his team. Unfortunately, the ledge was not wide enough for him to stop himself.

He quickly fell off the side of the canyon and began falling towards the ground. And it was not going to be an easy landing.

Hotch began to see his life flash before his eyes. He thought about his son, leaving him without a dad. And he and his son shared a special bond.

Suddenly, a POP! was heard and then Hotch saw nothing but black.

But, a few seconds later, he opened his eyes and saw that he was at the bottom of a canyon. An excruciating pain flowed throughout his entire body.

_I'm not dead,_ he thought. _I thought I had died._

He tried to push himself back up, but he discovered that he couldn't. He could still feel his legs, relieved to know that he wasn't paralyzed. But he didn't realize the deadly consequences that he would be facing.

Unbeknownst to Hotch, the 50-foot-fall (30 feet off the side of the trail, and 20 feet off the side of the narrow ledge) had caused his pelvic bone to shatter into pieces. Because of his broken pelvis, he wasn't able to pull himself up to walk or run. Instead, he would now be forced to crawl back to where his team was or wait for his team to rescue him.

Hotch tried to flip himself over onto his stomach to begin crawling, but the only thing he heard was the sound of his own scream.

TBC...


	7. Abducted

Hotch clenched his hands into fists and desperately tried to crawl back to the bottom of the canyon, where a natural 'staircase' made of rocks had formed. He figured that he could try to use the upper half of his body to push himself back up and hopefully make it back to where his team was. But the pain of being broken perfectly in half made it nearly impossible for him for him to even begin to move. He used every bit of energy he had left to begin to push himself towards the 'staircase.'

It took him two hours to reach the bottom of the rocks, but if he wasn't broken, it would have taken him a couple of minutes to walk. He tried lifting his arms to push himself up the rocks, but his body was too weak to go any further. Night was coming quickly and Hotch knew that temperatures could drop below freezing. If he fell asleep, he would suffer hypothermia. He began to wonder if his team was worried about him because he had been gone for about three hours.

~CriminalMinds~

Reid awoke a couple of hours later to discover that the sky was pitch black and that JJ was fast asleep against his shoulder. Rossi and Elle were the only others awake.

"What time is it?" Reid asked.

The older profiler looked at his watch. "It's 11 at night. Why?"

"Because Hotch hasn't returned. He left about five hours ago to go find help, and he's nowhere to be seen. Do you think something's happened to him?"

"Hotch is strong, and a fighter. I'm pretty sure he just got a little lost, but he told me that he was going to leave a trail of rocks behind so that if he did get lost, we would be able to see where he went," Rossi replied. "It's dark, and I don't want to get lost at this time of the night. We will go looking for him in the morning."

Reid nodded in agreement, then fell back to sleep, his arms protectively wrapped around JJ.

~CriminalMinds~

***Dedicated to HotchRocks. Don't hate me, please :) I promise that I will not kill Hotch.***

Hotch looked around him and saw that no one was coming to rescue him. He had started screaming 'HELP' over and over again, but to no avail. Given up on any hope of rescue, he decided to try and get some sleep. He knew that it was in the high 80s, so he wouldn't freeze to death.

The next morning, around seven, the Unit Chief awoke to a blinding pain in his midsection. He noticed that a slight bump had formed around his injury. He still didn't have any idea that his pelvis was broken. But he felt the bump and noticed that it was squishy like a balloon. He thought the squishiness was inflammation, but unbeknownst to him, the injury was far worse than he expected.

Because of his broken pelvis, the pieces of bone had severed several major blood vessels in his abdomen. He had been bleeding internally for over 12 hours, and if he did not receive emergency surgery to repair the severed vessels, he would likely exsanguinate to death within the next 24 to 36 hours.

"HELP, PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!" Hotch screamed as loud as he could. He heard Rossi's voice off in the distance, calling his name.

"DAVE, HELP, I CAN'T MOVE!" the Unit Chief begged.

"Hotch, where are you?"

"Down here, at the bottom of the canyon!"

Rossi, Reid and Morgan quickly ran down the 'staircase' and found Hotch, completely in pain. They noticed they he could barely push himself up without screaming.

"What happened? What's wrong?" Rossi said.

"Can't...walk or get up," Hotch replied.

Morgan gasped, thinking that his boss was paralyzed from the waist down. He and Rossi supported Hotch and tried to get him to stand up, but it was no use. Their boss couldn't use the lower half of his body, even though he told them that he could feel his legs.

Rossi pulled out his watch, which turned out to be the Samsung Watch. This technology allowed you to text and call whoever you wanted. It also had Samsung Voice, which was the Android version of Siri.

"Call Death Valley PD," Rossi said into his watch. After two rings, someone picked up on the other end.

"Death Valley PD, Chief Nelson speaking," a female voice said.

"Yes, my name is Dave Rossi, I'm with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, and my co-workers and I are stranded somewhere in the Mojave Desert. We have never been here, so we have no idea where exactly in the Desert we are. Our boss is critically injured and cannot stand up or walk."

"Ok, we'll be sending two choppers over there now," the Chief said.

~CriminalMinds~

Gideon and the Strangler had landed the plane back in Quantico and had snuck back into the BAU. Erin didn't even have time to react seeing her former subordinate enter the building and head towards into her office because Tim shoved a cloth soaked in chloroform over her mouth and nose, forcing her to breathe in the deadly chemical. After a few seconds, she went unconscious and collapsed in Tim's arms.

"Get her out of here before someone sees us," the Strangler ordered. Gideon and his boss carried the unconscious Strauss out to a dark car in the parking lot. They tied her wrists behind her with zip-ties and made sure that the car had enough gas. Locking the trunk, Tim took her car keys and put it into the ignition. The car was out of the parking lot within two minutes, and was on its way to Tim's house, where his prized possession would be used once again on another unfortunate victim.

~CriminalMinds~

An hour later, Erin awoke in a brightly lit room, her hands trapped in metal cuffs attached to wooden planks. She was strapped against a wall, which was completely bullet and soundproof. A metal helmet had been fastened on her head, her eyes being forced to focus on the sight in front of her. The engagement ring had been taken off and sealed inside an evidence bag, the kind of bag that CSIs would use to collect evidence at a crime scene.

To her horror, Jason Gideon, BAU profiler turned deadly unsub, stood in front of her, holding the evidence bag containing her seven-thousand dollar ruby-sapphire-diamond engagement ring. A note had been taped onto the bag saying, 'We have your fiancee. And you will never see her again.'

"Gideon...how could you do this to your friends? To me? To the BAU?" Erin asked, trying to reason with her former subordinate.

"The BAU is nothing compared to the life that Tim has given me. You wanted nothing to do with me and instead you hired me to work for a place that I learned is trying to kill me. So now, your team is going to die. Every single one of them. Starting with your fiance, then everybody's favorite boss, Aaron Hotchner," Jason said.

"No! Please don't hurt them. They are all I have left. Especially Dave."

"Well, it might be a little late for that, ERIN," Jason said in a voice she had never heard before. "Your team is gone. They're gone. They're in the middle of the desert. Their plane crashed over New Mexico/Arizona. That's why the signal disappeared. The last thing I heard was that Rossi fell 50 feet off the side of a canyon and broke many bones. He's been bleeding internally for almost 16 hours. No one's even looking for them. No one."

"NO! NO, NOT DAVE!"

"Too late," Jason grinned sadistically, then turned on the screen. The spinning spiral appeared and Erin was forced to stare at it.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours," he said, walking out of the room, shutting and locking the door behind him.

~CriminalMinds~

An hour and a half later, Jason and the Strangler returned to the room to see how Erin was doing. Her engagement ring had been sent to the hospital where Rossi would be taken to. The note had been folded so that the threatening message couldn't be seen.

Jason walked over to Erin, and called his boss over to look at her.

"She's good to go," the Strangler said. "Let's first ask her a few questions to see how she is really doing."

Tim turned the screen off and stood in front of Erin.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Erin Strauss," she replied.

"Who do you work for?"

"You, and I know that Jason is your accomplice," she said.

"What is the BAU?"

"A place that wants to kill me."

"Who is Dave Rossi?"

"My ex-fiance."

"Are you ready to complete your first assignment?"

"Yes, Sir. Happy to comply."

TBC...


	8. Dark Side

The team was panicking. Hotch had been in surgery for almost six hours and so far, there had been no news. Until the lead surgeon came out to the group with a grim look on his face.

"Family of Aaron Hotchner?" he asked.

"We're his co-workers, but since his family is unavailable, then all emergencies are notified to me," Rossi said.

"I'm sorry, but Agent Hotchner did not survive the surgery. He never made it off the table."

Every member of his team had horrified looks on their faces. They broke down crying after learning the fate of their leader.

"Agent Rossi, may I speak to you alone, please?" the surgeon asked.

Rossi followed him into another room, shutting the door behind him.

"I have some good news. Agent Hotchner actually did survive the surgery, and is now resting in the ICU. But the bad news is that he may never walk again. The blood vessels have been repaired, but the chance of him walking or getting back out into the field is at five percent. He requested that if he did die and we were able to save him that you would be the only one to know this information. After he is released, he will be sent to a physical therapist to hopefully regain full movement."

"Thank goodness he's alive."

"Also, this was delivered here about 20 minutes ago. There's a note taped to the bag, but you're the only one that can open it."

Rossi took the bag and gasped in horror when he saw that Erin's engagement ring was inside. The note had two typed sentences: We have your fiancée. And you're never going to see her again.

The profiler walked back out into the waiting room, telling the team that Hotch was going to be buried tomorrow.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch's entire team and family gathered at the cemetery to remember the loss of someone special. A black coffin was on the ground, in front of a headstone that said: Aaron Hotchner, 1965-2014, loving husband and father.

The team each placed a white rose on his coffin, then spoke about how important Hotch was him.

However, at the very end of the cemetery, Erin Strauss stood out of sight, preparing to attack her target. The Strangler had done an excellent job of brainwashing her into working for him, and now she was prepared to do whatever he told her to do. There was no way that she would be returning to the BAU anytime soon. Gideon had his memory completely changed, but the memories of his fiancee and team were somewhere else in his mind that he didn't really use much. Erin didn't remember anything about Rossi; all she knew was that instead of him being her fiancé, he was her ex-fiance. And she was prepared to get her revenge.

**_You should have known better not to mess with me, honey. I'm gonna love you like a black widow, _**Erin thought. _And female black widows kill their partners, just like I'm going to kill you. You left me for that Carolyn woman. _

The former Section Chief pulled out a handgun and walked towards the group. But just before she reached the six members, she put the gun into her pocket and prepared to trick Rossi.

"Dave!" she exclaimed.

Rossi turned around at the sound of his fiancée's voice. She looked fine, and didn't seem to have been hurt.

"Erin! Are you alright? Did he hurt you at all?" the profiler asked.

"No, he did not hurt me. But I'm fine," she replied.

As Rossi prepared to hug her, she reacted quickly and whipped out a gun, pointing it at him.

"Erin, what are you doing?" he asked.

"Shut up," she snapped. "You don't deserve to talk. Sir, I got him trapped. What shall I do with him?"

"Wait for me to arrive," a voice said.

The former Section Chief kept her gun steady. Elle, JJ, Reid, Morgan, and Garcia turned around to see Rossi being held at gunpoint by his fiancée.

Two minutes later, Gideon and the Strangler arrived, carrying sniper rifles.

"Sorry, Dave, but I'm working with them now," Erin said, smiling sadistically. "The life they've given me is so much better than the one that I ever had with you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Shut up. You treated me like nothing. I was just your little love interest until you ran off with Carolyn. That's why I'm not your fiancée anymore."

"Erin, what are you talking about? Carolyn's been dead for seven years. I love you."

"No you don't. Is it because the BAU is trying to kill me? Why would I even want to work there?"

"Erin, you've been drugged. The BAU is trying to help you."

"Like I would ever believe your lies."

"I'm not lying."

"I don't believe anything you say. Everything you told me was a lie. A lie. We're finished."

Erin fired off a shot, but luckily, the bullet didn't hit anyone.

She turned on her heel, then started walking away with her new boss and best friend by her side.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch awoke in a bright room. The pain in his abdomen had subsided, and he noticed that he was wearing a hospital gown.

"Agent Hotchner, good to see that you're awake," the doctor said. "You nearly died on the table, but we were able to bring you back. You broke your pelvis, causing you to be unable to stand or walk. We were able to repair the severed blood vessels and your broken pelvis. But the bad news is that you might never walk again."

"What?"

"I'm sorry. But you may never get back out into the field again. You are believed to be dead by everyone you know. Except for Rossi, who is the only one that knows that you're alive. You will be sent to a rehab facility for several months. We are going to try and hope that going to rehab will help you regain movement and hope that you're going to get back out into the field."

TBC...

***A/N: Erin's thoughts in bold are from Iggy Azalea's "Black Widow."***


	9. Won't Get Fooled Again

It had been exactly a month since the team had learned about the fate of their leader. Rossi was now the new Unit Chief, and Mr. Matteo Cruz was the new Section Chief since Erin had left for the dark side. Rossi was finding it hard to keep Hotch's secret. The former Unit Chief was doing well at rehab, and he was a speedy healer, because his therapist had told him that he had regained full movement. He was able to walk, run, and shoot. He would be returning to the BAU that day.

Rossi called the team into the conference room and told them that he was stepping down as Unit Chief. Section Chief Cruz had gotten to meet Hotch already, and the profiler was more than willing to regain his position as Unit Chief. Rossi had told Cruz that when Hotch returned, he would step down and become a profiler again.

In the conference room, JJ and Garcia were crying heavily. The other team members were looking up towards the sky, knowing that their team leader was looking down on them.

"We have a new case," Cruz said. "A serial bomber has resurfaced. The bomber who killed six FBI agents three years ago. We think that it's a copycat, but we are not sure exactly. We are going to be bringing in someone who personally solved the original case."

A knock was heard on the conference room door, and the team didn't seem to hear the noise. But they jumped once they heard the person speak.

"I think that would be me," Hotch said.

The team turned towards the door and could not believe what they were seeing. Hotch couldn't believe alive; they had buried him.

"Hotch?" Morgan was the first person to speak. "Is that really you?"

"Yes it's me," the Unit Chief said.

~CriminalMinds~

Erin stood in her boss's house, watching the BAU's security camera feeds. She saw Hotch walk into the conference room.

"Sir, he's alive!" she cried. "Agent Hotchner is alive!"

"That's not possible," the Strangler said. "You even saw the team bury him."

"Well, I'm looking at the screen, and he's standing right in the room. He is alive."

"I'm going to make sure that when I get my hands on him, he dies. The Unit Chief dies by my hands tonight," Tim replied. "Want to help me?"

"Done," Erin said sadistically.

In another room, Gideon was thinking of helping Clara get out of prison. But, he suddenly was overcome by a pain in his head. He began hearing strange voices, and saw the vision of a woman wearing an engagement ring. He heard a voice say, "Elle, will you marry me?"

Suddenly, more faces and voices were coming back to his mind. People he recognized, and people that he remembered working with.

His memory slammed back together, and Gideon realized that he had been kidnapped and brainwashed. He remembered seeing Erin having the same thing happen to him. He knew that he needed to grab the Section Chief and run before the Strangler noticed anything wrong.

Gideon was no longer a deadly unsub. He was a BAU profiler, and one of the people who began the Unit 20 years ago. Erin had become Section Chief a few years after.

He headed into Tim's office, and found Hotch's file sitting on the desk. He grabbed the file and hid it in his jacket pocket. He figured that Elle and the team would probably never forgive him for what he and Erin did. Gideon found Erin holding a black handgun and walking towards the office.

"Strauss, can I speak to you alone for a minute?" he asked. Erin nodded, but suddenly became aware of a pain in her head.

Once inside the office, with the door locked, Gideon told Erin what had happened to them. Her memory came back, and she realized that she had tried to kill her fiancé. They needed to get out of their prison.

Erin dialed Rossi, and he picked up after the second ring.

"Hello Strauss," he said without any introduction.

"Dave, it's me and Gideon. We know who you are. We know that you are not trying to kill us. And we realize that the BAU is a good place. We were kidnapped, drugged, and brainwashed into working for him. Gideon has Hotch's file, and we are going to figure out how to get out of this prison," Erin replied. "Do you have my ring?"

"Of course."

"We're going to bring this unsub in ASAP. Expect a call from me once we arrest him."

"Ok, I'll tell the team."

Gideon had a pair of handcuffs hidden in his jacket, and he signaled to Erin to go looking for their target.

Tim came around the corner, and before he could realize anything, Gideon had tackled him to the ground and had him arrested.

"Tim Vogel, you are under the arrest for the kidnap of two federal agents and attempted murder of another. Also, you will be arrested for hijacking a plane carrying federal agents and possible terrorist actions. You have the right to remain silent, and anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law."

Erin dialed Rossi and told him that Tim's threat was over, and that she and Gideon were free from his control.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch had been happily reunited with his team, until he heard them gasp. Cruz had just entered the room, telling them that two federal agents had just arrested an unsub, and that they were about to enter the room.

Hotch and the team headed out to the bullpen, and saw the elevator doors open. Erin walked out first, evidence bag in her hand, and out next came Tim and Gideon. The team was astounded to find the betrayers had the unsub arrested and being lead down to the holding cells.

"What is Jason doing with the Seattle Strangler?" Reid asked.

"He and Erin both have their memories back. They realized that he had kidnapped and brainwashed them. Once they had regained the memories, they arrested Tim and brought him down here," Rossi said, pulling out Erin's engagement ring. She walked over to her fiancé and allowed him to put the ring back on her finger where it belonged.

~CriminalMinds~

In a dark room of a quiet house somewhere unknown, a man was watching his computer screen. He saw the BAU profilers sitting around a table, looking very happy. But unfortunately, he wasn't. He had been discovered by the FBI, and was now going to have to stay hidden. And he hated having to stay hidden.

"You're going to pay for this," he threatened under his breath. "I will make you pay, Agent Rossi."

The man headed into another part of the house, and began pulling out many different materials, including metal and C4.

TBC...


	10. The Affair Exposed

The man had all the materials gathered together in one pile on his wooden table. He made sure that the C4 would not be easily disabled. He attached wires everywhere on the bomb so that it confused whoever would try to disable it. He put the bomb in a box, set a timer and headed out to his car towards the BAU Headquarters.

~CriminalMinds~

Rossi and the team were heading out the front door when they spotted the man in black wearing a strange device around him.

"It's a bomb!" Rossi shouted. Other agents walking towards HQ began to panic and ran towards what they thought was the safest place to get away from the bomber.

"Stop! Don't anyone move!" the man said.

"You...you're the copycat bomber," Hotch replied.

"You! Shut up! Get down on the ground and don't say a word." The bomber pulled out a gun and pointed it at Hotch, who signaled to his team to obey what the unsub said.

The team got down on their stomachs and put their hands on the ground, not daring to disobey what this crazy man had to say.

"Agent Rossi, it's been so nice to see you again," the bomber replied. "It's time that you paid for what you did to me all those years ago."

"SWAT and Bomb Squad are already on their way," Rossi said. "You can probably make it out alive if you disarm the bomb."

"No way. You deserve to pay. You caused my daughter to die. How would you feel if you lost someone important to you?"

"I have lost important people. I was devastated. I wanted their killers to die."

"That's exactly how I felt. I want you to die. You will die at my hands. You murderer!"

"It was not my fault. Your daughter was a convicted murderer. SWAT had to shoot her because she was going to kill several hostages."

"If you had just told them to stay away and mind your own business, then nothing bad would have had to happen. You will pay for the mistake the cost my daughter her life. Something that I will never get back."

He showed off the bomb just as SWAT arrived on scene. The bomb squad began trying to get closer to the bomber, but he threatened to shoot Elle. Gideon was trying to stay calm, but he knew that he would protect his fiancee at all costs. He would take a bullet for her, knowing that he wanted to see her on their wedding day in less than a month. She was the love of his life and he didn't want to see her die.

Morgan was on the ground next to Reid and JJ, who were holding hands to comfort each other. Morgan wanted to go inside headquarters and make sure that no one got near his babygirl. He often flirted with Garcia during work. They were unknowingly developing feelings for each other.

"You have two minutes Agent Rossi to say goodbye, or I will kill your entire team. Agent Hotchner, you will be joining Rossi."

"What did I do?" Hotch inquired.

"You're his best friend, you deserve to be with him as he pays for what he did to me."

"The bomb squad is already here; they can help you."

"I don't want help, I want death."

The timer beeped again, and the copycat bomber died, failing to take Rossi and Hotch with him. Erin screamed and Rossi ran over to her, pulling her into his arms.

"It's ok," he said, stroking her hair. "He can't hurt any of us anymore."

~CriminalMinds~

When Hotch arrived home from work, he found Haley sitting on the couch, cuddling Jack. Her protruding belly had gotten bigger since last week, since she was six months along. However, he noticed papers sitting on the table. After giving them a closer examination, he was shocked to discover that they were divorce papers. Haley's signature was already on the page. The only thing needed for the divorce to happen was for Hotch to sign. But Haley was the love of his life, and he didn't want to lose her.

"Haley, why are there divorce papers on the table? I thought we were good in our marriage. We were working it out and you said it was good. Why did you change your mind?" Hotch asked.

Haley told Jack to go to his room, and once he was in his room, she walked over to her husband.

"We're finished. When I got the call saying that you were dead, I was going to get all the money. Custody of our son. But now, I have a new man in my life and a new little one to take care of."

"You've been cheating on me? With who? And for how long?"

"How dare you accuse me of cheating! You've been with that JJ for a couple months now. Why should you care about who my new lover is?"

"I'm not with JJ. I never cheated on you. You cheated on me. Is the baby mine?"

"No, it's his. I just played your little heart."

Hotch picked up a pen and signed the papers. He couldn't believe that his own wife would cheat on him. He was officially single again.

Haley headed to the bedroom and then came out a few minutes later with several suitcases.

"Once the divorce trial is over, my new lover and I are getting married," she replied. She carried the luggage out of the house and out to her car. Without waving goodbye, she started her car and drove off towards her lover's house.

~CriminalMinds~

The next day at work, Hotch was late for the first time and had a scowl on his face. Divorcing his wife and learning that she had been having an affair for quite some time had started to take a toll on him.

Strauss entered the bullpen and told them to meet Garcia in the conference room about their latest case. The team entered the room and the technical analyst was already pulling up the pictures of the victims.

"These three women were all beaten and shot with a .22. They are all between the ages of 25-28, and have brown or red hair. The unsub seems to have a fantasy of these women being his deceased wife who passed away back in 2002 from liver failure. She had brown hair, but dyed it mahogany-red. This unsub is going to continue his fantasy until he finds the right woman."

~CriminalMinds~

The team walked out to the tarmac and settled themselves in the plane. Gideon would be watched closely in case he still had some of the brainwashing serum in him. They were heading to San Diego, California to investigate the unsub, who was revealed as The Tommy Killer. They noticed that Quantico's skies were grayer than normal, but no storms had been forecasted. The plane took off and they began hearing the sound of rain hitting the wings. However, the ride was peaceful and not bumpy from turbulence.

~CriminalMinds~

The Tommy Killer was sitting in a coffee shop, watching a red-haired woman walking with her husband and daughter. The woman was so happy; she was laughing and smiling. The Killer knew that she was the perfect woman for his little fantasy, and he would do whatever it took to get to her. Even if that meant killing her husband and sending her daughter away.

He looked at his buzzing phone and saw that a text from his partner had come through.

**Partner:** Got eyes on your prize yet?

**Tommy:** Yep. She's walking towards the zoo with her husband and daughter.

**Partner:** The BAU is on their way to hunt you down. They are coming to San Diego later today.

**Tommy:** What? How did they discover me?

**Partner: ** I don't know, but they are going to find you if you don't hide yourself.

**Tommy: ** I'll grab my prize, then escape to National City. It will prevent the Feds from following me.

**Partner: ** Ok. Text me when you get there.

**Tommy: ** Ok.

He paid for the coffee, then felt around in his pocket for the Taser. He needed a quick way to knock his next victim out and grab her without anyone noticing.

Very quickly, he hid behind a trash can and noticed that the woman's husband and daughter were heading towards the ticket window and she was heading back towards their car. The Killer quickly and quietly snuck up behind her and Tasered her. She fell unconscious in his arms as he dragged her across the parking lot to his car. He zip-tied her wrists and covered her mouth with duct tape. Shutting and locking the trunk door, he headed up to the driver's seat and started the car. It was out of the lot within two minutes.

TBC...


	11. Plain Sight

The team was relaxing on the plane, when they suddenly heard the computer beep. Garcia was calling, but the team thought she had a development in the Tommy Killer case.

"Talk to us, Garcia," Hotch said after answering the call.

"Boss-man, I've got bad news. A woman with red-hair was just abducted outside the San Diego Zoo. She was walking back to the car to grab some food while her husband and daughter headed to the ticket window, and The Tommy Killer took her," Garcia said.

"Baby Girl, do you have a name for us?" Morgan asked.

"One second. Yes, we do. Marcia Gordon, 32. Her husband, Bill Gordon, works as a lawyer for the San Diego Attorney Offices. Please, please find her before we find another dead body."

"Alright, will do."

~CriminalMinds~

Marcia slowly opened her eyes to a dark room. The room had no windows and the door was squeaky. Her abductor entered the room, a grin spread across his face.

"My dear Marcia, I've been waiting for you for so long. You look just like her," he said.

"Who's her? What do you want from me? Let me out!" Marcia begged. "I won't say anything!"

"Why would I let you go? You're mine now until you die. You look so much like my wife."

"I'm not your wife! You idiot, let me go!"

"Don't you dare ever speak that way to me ever again," he said, slapping her across the face. "You will listen to me, and do as I say. Understand?"

~CriminalMinds~

The team landed in San Diego a few hours later. They needed to talk to Bill about his wife and see if they could get any info about her or the person who took her.

Gideon hated being stared at by his own team. He was angry that they needed to keep an eye on him even though he was no longer brainwashed.

Elle was still a bit upset that her fiancé hijacked the Unit's private jet, but she was warming back up to him. Her three-karat diamond ring sparkled in the warm California sun. Even when Gideon had hijacked the plane and nearly killed Hotch, Elle still cared for him.

The team arrived at Bill's house and asked him some questions about Marcia. They then knew that they needed to deliver the profile of the Tommy Killer.

~CriminalMinds~

The Killer was admiring Marcia. He would never let her go, not matter how much money her husband was willing to pay for her. Marcia would never leave his sight.

"You're just like her," he said, touching her hair. It even felt the same as his wife's.

"You are a psycho," she snapped.

"I'm just getting back what I've lost."

"I am not your wife for the last time! Don't you get it you sicko? You are messed up in head who wants to get his wife back."

"Shut up!"

The phone rang, startling the Tommy Killer.

"Hello?" He said.

"Sir, the BAU is in town. They are interviewing her husband. You don't have a lot of time," the accomplice replied.

"Crap, why do they always have to show up at exactly the right time?" the Killer muttered. "But make sure your plan is ready. We need a couple of weeks to take down the BAU. Understood?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good. Now get working on finding me and Marcia a place to hide."

"I'm on it."

The Tommy Killer grabbed Marcia's arm.

"You will call your husband and tell him to get rid of the FBI. Otherwise, more people including you are going to die. Am I clear?" he said.

"Yes, Sir."

"Good."

After untying her hands, he pointed a gun at her head and made her read off of a paper. He dialed Bill, with him answering the call after only the second ring.

"Who is this?" Bill demanded, seeing that the number was unknown.

"It's Marcia, honey," his wife answered. "I have a message for you."

"What is it?"

"You are to get rid of the BAU and tell them that they are to stay off the case. Otherwise, they will be responsible for the deaths of many more innocent people."

"I can't just get rid of the FBI Marcia. They are the people that are trying to find you and rescue you from that psychopath."

Rossi mouthed to Bill, "We got a location."

"Mr. Gordon, I don't care that the BAU is after me, but you're never going to find your wife," the Tommy Killer taunted.

"Like I give a crap. Try me."

The line went dead, and once the call ended, Bill and the BAU were in two vehicles heading to the location.

~CriminalMinds~

Marcia had been tied up again, but smiled in relief once she heard the sirens. She knew that her husband was coming to rescue her.

But the Killer was furious. He realized that he had accidently left the GPS on when he dialed the BAU. He knew he was going to jail. But he had one more important task to do: tell his partner the news.

The other person picked up the phone right away after his partner called him.

"What's going on?" the mystery person asked.

"I'm such an idiot. I left the GPS on while I called the BAU and I'm now going to prison. You must stay hidden. You're going to finish what we started: Bring down the BAU. Eliminate every one of them. But leave Aaron Hotchner alive. I just know that you need to tell him a few things," the Killer said.

"It's done. I will bring them down. I'll make sure Aaron Hotchner looks me in the eyes and realizes that he stepped right into the arms of betrayal. He will die, looking at the friend who betrayed him for the dark side."

****TBC... ** **


	12. Broken Mirror

Marcia felt relieved once her killer had been arrested. She would need some time to recover, but she would be just fine now that she was back with her husband.

The BAU was exhausted. Another case had been closed, and Hotch noticed how difficult it was for Gideon to work the case with everyone staring at him. Even though Gideon was free from the brainwashing machine, the team wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to lash out at anyone else.

On the flight back to Quantico, Gideon pulled his fiancée aside.

"Elle, I love you, why should we wait on the wedding?" he asked.

"Because you hijacked a plane and nearly cost Hotch his life. We buried him, Jason! Hotch was dead. And then we find out nearly a month later that he's alive!" Elle exclaimed. "I know you were brainwashed, but you almost killed a member of this team."

"I thought you were warming back up to me, what's the issue?"

"I need some more time. Hotch was and still is important to me, and when I learned that he was dead, I was broken. Of course I still love you, but I just need more time."

~CriminalMinds~

However, Elle didn't need a lot of time to cope with her boss's 'death.' She and Gideon decided to tie the knot today. It had been a week since the Tommy Killer had been arrested, and Marcia was visiting a psychiatrist in order to deal with her traumatic experience at the hands of a serial killer.

JJ and Reid were the first people at the church. It would be their two-month anniversary in a few days. Hotch arrived next with Rossi, Erin, and Cruz by his side. Morgan and Garcia were the last to arrive because her car had broken down.

After the team had taken their seats, Hotch's brother Sean began the reception.

"Anyone who thinks that these two shouldn't be married, speak now or forever hold your peace," Sean said.

"I object!" came a response from the back of the church. Will LaMontagne had somehow snuck in, and he was trying to crash the wedding. An eight-month pregnant Haley had also entered the church, a large diamond engagement ring on her finger.

"Will! You are not going to crash my wedding!" Elle snapped. "We were done a long time ago. After you cheated on me, I knew I could never trust you again. I bet you never told JJ that we dated for a while, until I caught you secretly dating Haley."

"What?" JJ screeched. "Elle, he was cheating on me on our wedding day?"

"Yes. Since we broke up a year ago."

"I don't believe you!" the blond yelled at her ex-husband. "You never loved me. Did you?"

"Of course I did, Jennifer. You were the love of my life," Will lied.

"You're lying. I'm a profiler. I can tell when someone doesn't speak the truth."

"JJ, I would never lie to you!"

"Both you and Haley get out of this church, or I will have you arrested for violating your restraining order. Don't look so surprised, I have a friend at work who can find anything. I know about the restraining order Elle put on you after the breakup. You are not to get within 100 feet of her."

Will knew that he would probably go to jail if JJ told the police. He and Haley immediately bolted for the exit, never looking behind them.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," Sean said.

Gideon kissed Elle, and they enjoyed hearing the sound of their team members applauding for them. The newlyweds were going to his cabin in the woods and enjoy two weeks away from work.

"I'll have Rossi take your position," Hotch said to Gideon before he and Elle ran off to the awaiting limo. "And I'll see if I can get Todd to take Elle's place."

"Thanks, Hotch," Gideon replied, taking his wife's hand. "We'll see you in two weeks."

"See you then."

~CriminalMinds~

A day after the Gideon-Greenway wedding, the team was being called away on a case- a girl named Patricia Davenport had been abducted. She would only be alive for two more days, which was the exact time frame as the previous victims. But after a week, the unsub went silent and there was no trail for the team to track him/her down. Patricia still hadn't been found, and the team was worried that her body was going to be delivered to them in pieces. Garcia had been watching the news and doing some research on the Internet, and discovered that a body had been found alongside a damaged car. Witness reports said that the body was male.

"Sir, a body's been found. A man, but there's no sign of Patricia," she said as she walked into the conference room.

"Where is the body?" Reid asked.

"On the main road leading out of Quantico."

"Wheels up in 10," Hotch said, heading out of the conference room.

~CriminalMinds~

_He sat in his car outside the BAU. He used to be one of them, until Gideon fired him for tampering with evidence, which framed Hotch, almost costing him his career._

_The man pulled out a set of binoculars and saw the team getting into one of the BAU's vehicles. He smiled at the thought of having Hotch in his hands, completely defenseless and unable to cry for help. Gideon would pay for what he did. The man had almost all of his master plan formed. When his partner was taken to jail, Gideon was once again responsible. The man was hurting to his very core. He wanted revenge. Hotch seemed to be the most important person in Gideon's life, more important than his wife. When the man would get his revenge, Hotch would suffer. Hotch would take the pain, even if he died. He was going to learn that a former friend and colleague of his had joined the dark side and was never coming back to the good side._

_The man decided to go back to his house and form more of the plan. It was coming along nicely, and only needed a few more days. He contacted his partner and made sure that after Hotch was trapped, the plan was executed._

~CriminalMinds~

It had been another week since the Davenport case was opened. The unsub had been silent, with no activity of kidnapping another girl. Patricia had a twin sister, Cheryl, who was still at home with her father. She noticed a package on her front porch, and immediately brought it inside.

"Daddy," she said. "Patricia's handwriting is on this package."

"Where did you find it?"

"On the front porch."

Mr. Davenport opened the package and found a ransom note, demanding that Cheryl would bring five-hundred thousand dollars to a parking lot at three AM that night.

He immediately called the BAU and told them about the note.

~CriminalMinds~

_He sat outside the Davenport house, watching Hotch go into the house. Gideon and Elle followed right behind him._

_Just a little longer, the man thought. Just a little more time until you're in my hands. Then, I can do whatever I want to you._

_He couldn't stay in this area for long. Hotch would recognize him right away and have him arrested for stalking a federal agent._

_The man noticed that Elle was having a little trouble balancing as she walked into the house._

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch and his team were exhausted. Cheryl and her father had delivered the ransom money and had been able to rescue Patricia. But not before her abductor was able to escape.

Elle was sitting in Mr. Davenport's office, watching Cheryl. But the profiler was feeling really nauseous. She hadn't been able to keep any of her breakfast down. It had been a month since her wedding and since the case was opened. A massive headache began to bother her.

"I'll be right back, Cheryl," Elle said. She immediately ran out of the room and towards the closest bathroom. She was going to throw up.

But as soon as Elle left the room and was out of Cheryl's sight, a figure dressed in black walked into the room and smiled once he saw the young girl alone.

"Hello Cheryl," he said. "I'm the man who took your sister."

TBC...


	13. A new addition to the family

Elle was finally able to get away from the toilet. She had been feeling so sick, and Gideon had begun to notice that she wasn't doing so well. He told her that she should stay home, but she wanted to work on the case.

After coming out of the bathroom, she noticed that her husband was waiting for her. He had a concerned look on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yea, I think it's just stomach flu. I should be fine in a couple of days," she replied. "I sense something. What's wrong?"

"Cheryl's gone. I think her sister's abductor took her."

"No! How did he/she know?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out. But I want you to go to the Davenport house and rest. You have barely eaten anything and you're looking really pale. I'll tell Hotch that you're not feeling well, and that you'll be back in a couple of days."

"But-"

"No buts, Elle. You are in no shape whatsoever to be working right now."

He tried to kiss her, but she backed away.

"No! I'm sick; I don't want you to catch the bug if I have it."

He walked her out to the car, then drove her to the house. What he didn't know was that his wife had a box of pregnancy tests in her purse.

He made sure that she made it inside ok, then told her to call him if she needed anything.

~CriminalMinds~

Those 15 minutes were the longest minutes in her life.

She was not ready to be a mother if the test was positive. She didn't know what Gideon would say. He had never been a father either.

The timer beeped, and the 15 minutes were up. She headed into the bathroom and picked the stick off the counter. She looked for the little sign that said 'yes' or 'no.'

She was pregnant.

_How am I supposed to tell my husband?_ she thought. _What will his reaction be? Will he leave me?_

As she contemplated her options, she got a text from Gideon, saying that everyone was going home for the evening because they were all exhausted.

_Crap!_ she thought. _I don't have much of a choice. He will notice that I'm not feeling well, and then he'll ask what's wrong. I'll have to tell him. Better to do it now than later._

Within 10 minutes, Elle heard the front door open, and her husband say, "I'm home, how are you feeling?"

She put the pregnancy test in her pocket and walked out to the living room to greet him.

"I'm feeling much better," she said, greeting him with a kiss. "It was nothing contagious."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," he replied. "Do you know what the diagnosis is?"

"Yes, in fact it was one of the best things I ever heard. I'm pregnant."

"We're having a baby?" he asked, completely shocked.

"Yes."

He picked her up off the ground and spun her around. Giving her a kiss, he said, "Thank you for giving me the best present ever."

"I couldn't ask for more."

~CriminalMinds~

Garcia had texted early the next morning saying that Cheryl had been found in an abandoned warehouse. Elle immediately woke her husband up and the two made sure that their wedding ring and band were on a chain around their necks. They arrived at work within ten minutes and found the rest of the team waiting for them. Elle and Derek argued over who was driving to the warehouse until Hotch told both of them to shut up. The Unit Chief told them to "sit down, shut up, and don't say anything unless it's something nice."

Within five minutes, the vehicle pulled up in front of the house, and Elle was the first person out of the car and running towards the front door. Morgan caught up to her, kicking the front door down and the rest of the team going around the back of the warehouse. Morgan, gun pointed in front of him, stepped into the house and was greeted by the sound of electricity buzzing. He had been shocked with a Taser, which brought him to the ground, and caused unconsciousness to take over him.

"Morgan!" Elle shouted. But she didn't get to do anything because the unsub snatched her gun away, surprising her. She felt the electricity flowing through her body, her legs unable to support her body.

_My baby,_ she thought. _Gideon's baby. I can't let him/her die._

"Stop please! I'm pregnant, please don't hurt my baby!" Elle begged the unsub, who just ignored her cries. He pulled out a knife.

"Maybe I'll just kill you instead," he said. "But I know that you love me."  
"Vincent?" she asked.

"Elle."

"You...you're FBI! How could you betray them like this?"

"Because I had a girlfriend that never loved me. And that someone is you."

"All you ever did was abuse me! You scarred me permanently. And now I have a husband that loves me with all of his heart."

"You're married?"

"A month as of today."

"Maybe I'll even let you scream for him when I kill you."

"You are just sick."

But her response only angered him. He revealed the knife and prepared to stab and kill her with it, but not before a shot was heard and Vincent fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

Elle saw Hotch holding his gun in front of him with JJ and Gideon preparing to arrest Vincent.

"You alright?" Hotch asked his subordinate.

"Yea," she answered.

Gideon ran over to her, scooping her into his arms. "Did he hurt you?"  
"He Tasered me and almost killed me with a knife, but otherwise I'm fine."

But she saw that Hotch looked furious, like he regretted saving her life.

"Hotch, what's wrong?"

"I want to speak with your husband alone for a moment, if you don't mind," the Unit Chief said.

"I don't mind."

Gideon followed Hotch outside, where they saw JJ and Reid leading Vincent, in handcuffs out to a police car.

The Unit Chief slammed Gideon against the side of the house.

"You betrayed this team! I can never forgive you. I'm the one who gave Elle away at the wedding. I regretted it immediately and now I can never take it back," Hotch snapped.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know well what I mean. When you went into the drawer and stole MY file. You gave it to a killer who now knows everything about me thanks to you!"

"He threatened me way before my kidnapping! He told me he was going to kill Elle if I didn't do what he said."

The color drained from Hotch's face. He felt so guilty. How could have he just verbally accused his friend of betraying the BAU without evidence?

"Gideon, I'm sorry. I thought you had actually gotten the folder and was selling the info to a third party. Forgive me. And I should never have said anything about the wedding. You make her happy. Promise me that you will always make her happy."

"I will, Hotch. I promise. Also, on the way to work this morning, Elle told me that it was fine to tell you the news. We're expecting."

"Congrats! Parenthood, can you believe it?"

"No I can't. Elle's very nervous. She's never had a child before and with the job, she's frightened about losing the baby."

"I think she'll be just fine," Hotch replied. "I'm sure your wife is wondering where you are now, how about you come over to the house later?"

"That'd be great."

The two men walked back to the car where Elle had a look of relief on her face.

"Are you ok?" she asked, wrapping her arms around her husband's neck. "You were gone for almost five minutes. I was just about to send JJ to find you!"

He put his hands on her waist. "I'm ok, Hotch just got a little angry at me from the brainwashing."

Elle looked at her boss strangely. "You're still mad at him?"

"I was until he told me he took the file to protect you."

Gideon gave her a kiss, then led her over to the BAU's vehicle.

~CriminalMinds~

On the way back to the airport, Elle was sitting beside Gideon, his arms wrapped her, when she noticed that she had a missed call from an unknown number.

Thinking it was a solicitation number, she put her phone back into her pocket, but then it rang again. The unknown number was calling again.

"Hello?" Elle asked. Gideon straightened up in his seat.

A chilling voice responded right away. "Hello Elle, I know that you have no idea who I am, but I know all about you."

"Who is this?"

Gideon gave her a worried look.

"Someone who will be harming someone you care about," the voice said before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Gideon asked his wife.

"I...I don't know, but whoever it was said that they were going to hurt someone I care about."

TBC...


	14. LDSK

The team finally made it back to Quantico. After an exhausting flight, Elle wanted to go to the one place where she felt safe: her house. She wanted to be with her husband, who made her feel safe anywhere. And now with a baby on the way, he would be even more overprotective over his family.

~CriminalMinds~

_**Wake up call_

_Caught you in the morning with another one in my bed_

_Don't you care about me anymore?_

_Don't you care about me?_

_I don't think so.**_

"Get out of my house Savannah!" Morgan snapped. "I never want to see you again."

"It's not what you think, Derek. I was coming in the door when Sam kissed me," the voice of his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend said.

"What I saw was more than just a kiss. Now, get out of my house!"

Savannah and Penelope's boyfriend Sam ran out of the house, but were greeted by the sight of an angry Garcia.

"What the heck Sam!" Garcia yelled. "How could you do this to me?"

"I never did anything to you!" Sam snapped.

"You cheated on me with my best friend's girlfriend. We're through."

Garcia slapped him in the face and headed up to Morgan's front porch.

He immediately opened the door and stepped aside so that his BabyGirl could come inside.

They walked over to the couch where she broke down crying. He wrapped his arms around her.

"How could he have cheated on me?" Garcia said angrily.

"I don't know BabyGirl, but I had no idea that Savannah was with him."

"After all those months I suspected him cheating on me, I realized something."

"What's that?"

"I love you, my Chocolate Thunder," Garcia replied.

"I love you too, BabyGirl," Morgan said, planting a kiss on her lips.

"You have no idea how long I wanted that from you."

"I've been wanting that forever ever since I saw you."

They were interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing.

"Morgan," he said. "Wait, what? We'll be over right away."

"What happened?"

"Hotch and Reid are being held hostage in the hospital by the unsub."

"The one who sniped the officer in the park's parking lot two weeks ago? I had gotten the name yesterday, Phillip Dowd."

"That's him. But JJ also told me that Vincent Shyer, the man who tried to kill Elle, was the man who held Haley and Hotch hostage before her affair was exposed."

~CriminalMinds~

Reid was absolutely terrified. He had failed his firearms qualifications and now wasn't allowed to carry a gun. He wished he had one because he was on the ground with the unsub pointing a loaded automatic rifle at his head. Hotch had his weapon pointed at the unsub, who said that the shot "better be a headshot."

Hotch knew that he wouldn't be allowed to fire and take the man down. The Unit Chief set his gun down on a stack of folders and backed away.

"Get up! Get over here!" Dowd yelled at Reid, who was pulling himself up. He ran over to Hotch and the two men had their wrists tied.

"If you two are supposed to be the big and scary profilers, then how come you don't have a gun?" the unsub teased.

"Well, we would have had a gun if you hadn't taken away from us," Reid snapped. "I don't even have one."

"You're FBI, how do you not have a gun?"

"He failed his qualifications exam and isn't allowed to have a weapon," Hotch said, turning to Reid, who realized that a plan had been put into motion. "Since we won't be here for much longer, but before you kill me, can you at least let me take my anger out on him? He's made my life miserable for so long. I have no idea how the team and I deal with him everyday."  
"Be my guest," Dowd replied, watching Hotch shove Reid to the ground. The younger profiler began to feel his boss kicking him. But Reid knew the plan- without making it look obvious, grab Hotch's backup gun and prepare to shoot.

"It's not even that hard!" Hotch sneered at his team member. "Even a dog could do it!"

Reid managed to grab ahold of the weapon and prepared to pull the trigger.

However, Dowd noticed that Reid was acting strange. He was in an awkward position, and suddenly, the unsub noticed that Hotch had an ankle holster...and the weapon was missing.

Before Dowd could fire off a shot, Reid pulled the trigger, hitting the unsub right between his eyes. Several other hostages screamed when Dowd fell to the ground, dead.

"Wait, hold your fire, federal agent!" Hotch shouted to the SWAT team waiting outside, guns loaded and ready to fire.

"Hold your fire!" the SWAT leader said to his men. Hotch opened the door and said, "All clear."

JJ, Morgan, Gideon, Rossi, and Elle all ran over to the room. The blond profiler saw her boyfriend come out of the room unharmed. She ran over to him, who immediately pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

"Spence, are you ok?" JJ asked him.

"I'm ok, just a little shaken up that the unsub was about to kill me," he replied, kissing his girlfriend again.

Gideon walked over to his best friend and gave him a big hug.

"Glad you're alright man," Gideon said.

"Thanks Jason," Hotch replied, walking over to Reid. When the Unit Chief reached his subordinate, he gave him the gun and said, "Congrats, you passed your qualifications."

Reid took the gun and gave both Hotch and JJ big hugs.

~CriminalMinds~

The man sitting in his car outside the hospital slammed his hand against the steering wheel. He threw his binoculars onto the passenger seat and slammed the steering wheel twice more.

He swore, then angrily said, "Darn it! That stupid profiler had to kill my asset!"

The man began to mutter more nonsense to himself, then picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Yes? We've got a problem. Dowd is dead. One of Hotch's team killed him. Another asset has been removed. We need to plan this a lot better. Maybe we need to send this so-called Unit Chief a message telling him that he doesn't have a lot of time left."

The voice on the other end of the line answered right away. "Excellent idea. Make sure there is no ID, fingerprints, DNA, or anything. This is a PROFILER we're talking about. One of the best in the country. He'll be able to use his analyst Garcia and she'll find us in a matter of seconds. We have to be extremely careful. Understood?"

"Yes. I'll make sure that the note is untraceable."

The man in the car suddenly smiled maliciously. He had just come up with an idea to mess around with Hotch. But the note was needed. Along with some very familiar DNA...

****From Maroon 5's 'Wake-Up Call****


	15. The stalker begins his plan

Hotch began to panic. A note had been left on his desk with only a few typed sentences. He had no idea who left him the note, but he wore gloves just in case he could get an ID on the mysterious sender.

-Hello, Hotch, how've you been? I haven't seen you in years. And yet, I see you now, just another lonely profiler whose spouse has left him because of work. Must be difficult, right? I feel the same way.-

The Unit Chief's breathing began picking up. Someone other than his team knew about Haley cheating on him. He was nervous about leaving his workplace because he didn't know where the sender was.

Hotch sent the note off to the Lab to be tested for DNA and/or fingerprints. The tech said the results would be ready in a hour.

~CriminalMinds~

He sat in his car once again, but this time, he wasn't outside the BAU. Instead, he was outside Hotch's house, looking at his phone. He managed to get the Unit Chief's security code from his asset inside the BAU. The man also managed to hack the security cameras and disable them so that his identity couldn't be revealed. He had an obsession with Hotch and would make sure in every way that the Unit Chief was his. Hotch would never see the light of day again, and instead would be kept away from the people he cared about.

The man had followed Hotch home from work a week ago. The man knew the work schedule, and how he could be in the house for several hours without anyone interrupting him. He picked the front door lock and stepped inside the house. It was bigger than he expected. He explored the entire house, finding out that the Unit Chief had a son. The man found Hotch's bedroom and collapsed on the bed, feeling its softness. However, he needed at least 45 minutes to have the house the way it was and be gone before the Unit Chief returned home from work.

~CriminalMinds~

"Jason Gideon, you are under arrest for threatening an FBI agent."

He stood in astonishment as Hotch slapped the cuffs on his wrists.

"Hotch, I never threatened anyone," the profiler said.

"The evidence says otherwise. You sent me a note and left it on my desk. Your DNA was all over the note."

Hotch had gotten the call two hours ago from the Lab, and to his horror, his own teammate's DNA was on the note.

The Unit Chief lead the profiler into the elevator, which would take them to the first-floor prison.

Jason was locked in a cell, but before Hotch left, the Unit Chief turned back to his 'friend.'

"Unless you have other evidence proving that you didn't send the note, then you'll spend a few years here. I'll have your badge and credentials taken away."

~CriminalMinds~

That Saturday, Reid decided to take JJ skydiving. They had practiced this sport for a couple of months and the blond felt like she was ready to do a solo jump. Reid would jump out a few seconds after and film her jump.

The weather was sunny, with hardly a cloud in the sky. JJ jumped out of the airplane once it reached 12,000 feet, and Reid was right behind her. His video camera was ready and rolling. JJ began to spin in circles, and her boyfriend thought that she was just having fun.

"JJ, you shouldn't be doing that," he said.

But he quickly realized that something was seriously wrong. She wasn't doing the spinning around for fun- instead, her parachute was malfunctioning.

"JJ, PUMP THE BRAKES!" he screamed. She shouted back that she was, but the brakes weren't working. She was spinning out of control. Reid just wanted to get close to her and grab her, but he knew that the parachutes would tangle and they would both fall to their deaths.

"PUMP THE BRAKES!" Reid screamed again. As he got closer to the ground, he could see that she was still spinning. Suddenly, he heard a loud POP! and then the only response was silence.

"NO!" he said, realizing that his girlfriend was gone. He shut the video camera off and made a safe landing onto the ground. JJ had landed on the pavement, surrounded by her broken parachute. It had broken some of her fall, but she still hit the pavement at almost 60 MPH.

Reid was horrified at the sight of his girlfriend.

He suddenly heard her voice. "Am I alive?"

He breathed a sigh of relief. Immediately, he dialed for a medic, and the ambulance was on scene within two minutes. She was loaded up on a gurney and taken to the hospital.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch was waiting for news on JJ from the doctor. Reid was angry, upset, and worried at the same time.

"It's my fault!" the profiler said. "I should have never taken her on that skydiving trip. She wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me!"

"It's not your fault," Morgan tried reassuring his best friend. "You had no idea that the parachute wasn't going to work right.

The doctor came out with a slight grim look on his face.

"Family of Jennifer Jareau?" he asked.

"I'm her boyfriend," Reid said, "And these are her co-workers."

"Well, Ms. Jareau suffered quite a bit of head trauma from hitting the ground that hard. She lost eight of her front teeth, broke her nose, and suffered from moderate brain damage. Because of this, she will suffer from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, known as BPPV or positional vertigo for the next while until her brain heals. Basically, she will feel dizzy whenever she rolls over in bed, tilts her head up or looks over her shoulder, or when she bends down to pick something up. I recommend that she does not go back out into the field for the next year."

Reid couldn't believe the diagnosis. JJ wouldn't have a job for a whole year.

"Why a year and not a few months?"

"Because of the brain damage. We want her brain to heal. Something like running too quickly may trigger an episode of BPPV."

"What about her nose and teeth?"

"We were able to fix her nose, but she will need a bit of support for a month or two until her nose can work on its own again. As for her teeth, we got the dental records and are currently making eight false teeth for her."

"She'll be able to speak again properly, right?"

"Yes, the false teeth will allow her to speak properly."

Hotch suddenly felt his phone buzz. He excused himself and once he turned his phone on, he discovered in horror that an unknown number had texted him.

It was a picture of JJ and how she looked when she had hit the pavement.

-I know all about your profiler's little accident, Hotch. How'd you enjoy my little note?-

The Unit Chief began to panic. Who could of found out about JJ? And how could of Jason sent the text? He was in jail and wasn't allowed a phone.

Hotch quickly composed a text to the number.

^Who is this and how do you know my name?^

-You're so easy to find, Hotch. I know where you live, about your team, and your little failed marriage. Maybe your son would enjoy me as a father.-

^Leave my son alone, whoever you are.^

-Nice try. We'll see who wins in the end.-


	16. The Fox

Two weeks after JJ's disastrous near-death fall, Hotch received paperwork saying that a new female agent was joining the team. She was needed to help solve a case about a man who lived with families, then murdered them.

The unsub's profile had been created, and before the new female agent could come into his office, Hotch received another text from the mysterious number.

-I have a little something for you. Gideon never sent you the note. I did. I just framed him to mess around with you.-

Once the Unit Chief realized that his innocent co-worker was in jail, he knew that he needed to let him out and hopefully find out who sent the note.

Hotch still hadn't told anyone about his mysterious texter. However, Rossi had begun to notice his Superior was acting a bit strange.

Hotch felt his phone buzz again, and this time, a threat from the texter came through.

-Tell anyone on your team about me, and I will hurt your son and sister-in-law.-

The Unit Chief fought the urge to destroy his phone. This texter had gone too far.

~CriminalMinds~

Outside the BAU, the man was just loving seeing Hotch get angry. The man was getting even more excited about his unsuspecting victim. He would make sure that Hotch would vanish without a trace. No one would find him...alive.

The stalker felt his phone vibrate. His partner was calling.

"Section Chief Cruz, what can I do for you today?" the man asked.

"Hotch is starting to figure out that someone is coming after him. We need to get out of Quantico," Cruz said. He had been working with this man ever since Hotch had 'died.'

Cruz had been hired as Section Chief in order to keep an eye on the Unit Chief.

"I stopped by his house. It's amazing. But I do need to get back to the location. And also, Gideon is out of prison. Hotch figured out that his friend was innocent. I knew that trick wouldn't last long."

The man said a quick goodbye to Cruz, then drove off to the secret location where he would study the Unit Chief for hours.

The man entered the location and then turned on the only lamp in the abandoned warehouse. An entire wall was covered in photos and newspaper articles about Hotch. The man smiled, knowing that he was getting closer to having his victim.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch was looking through file folders on his desk when he heard a knock. A woman with dark brown hair wearing a suit was standing in the doorway.

"Agent Hotchner?" she asked. "I'm Emily Prentiss."

"Please come in."

After telling her about the most current case, he introduced her to the team, who quickly accepted her. Reid was a bit upset that a new agent had joined, and he took off for the restroom.

"That's Reid," Morgan said to Emily. "He's upset that you're replacing JJ, his girlfriend. He doesn't feel as though the team will be the same without her."

"What happened to JJ?" the brunette asked.

"She was injured in a skydiving accident that caused a lot of trauma to her face and head. She's been in the hospital for two weeks, and already she's showing a little progress in her recovery."

"That's good to hear. How long is she supposed to be out for?"

"She's not allowed to work for a full year. Her brain was damaged enough that she's not allowed to be running around chasing the unsubs."

After Emily began to become acquainted with Morgan, Gideon, Garcia, and Elle, Rossi pulled Hotch aside.

"You're acting very weird lately," Rossi said. "You've been nervous and now you've gone bananas. I think someone's in love with the new agent."

"I barely met Prentiss. I think she's a great agent who will be valuable to this team. I'm not in any way in love with her," Hotch replied.

~CriminalMinds~

Garcia had tracked down the location of the unsub who was murdering families. Hotch and the team quickly headed to the house and found the unsub holding a baby boy, barely five months old.

"Set your weapons down!" the unsub shouted. Hotch and Prentiss were the first to react, then Reid and Elle were next. Morgan still wanted to kill the guy, but the unsub tried to stab him with a handmade iron knife.

Morgan shot the unsub, hitting him in the shoulder. Hotch arrested the killer and lead him out to a police car. Elle was feeling quite sick, now that she was almost seven weeks pregnant. The smell of blood just made her want to vomit.

Before Morgan had shot the unsub, the baby boy had been thrown through the air and was safely caught by Gideon. He knew that the boy's entire family had been murdered, so Jason decided to adopt him. Elle was ok with the decision, but she didn't know how she was going to manage a full-time job and take care of two children.

~CriminalMinds~

The man and Cruz were sitting in their car outside the warehouse where the team was. They saw them leading their unsub, in cuffs, out to a police car already waiting for them. The two men decided to mess around with Hotch a bit more, so they drove to the next block, then dialed him.

Hotch felt his phone ring, and Caller ID said that the number was restricted.

"Hello?" he said.

"Agent Hotchner, how are you doing? I guess you did ok when arresting the unsub," the voice replied.

"Who is this? What do you want with me? I'm tired of playing this game. I'm not going to play it anymore."

"You will regret ever saying those words, Hotch."

Suddenly, the Unit Chief heard two voices crying. He recognized one of them as Jack.

"Daddy! Please get me out of here. Aunt Jessica is with me too," Jack begged.

"What have you done to them?"

"Nothing. They're not even hurt. But if you tell anyone, or try to ignore anything I say, then I will hurt your family."

The line went dead, and Hotch began to break down crying. How was he supposed to keep something like this hidden from his team, who were experts on reading people?

***A/N: Guess Cruz isn't who you thought he was :). Any idea on who the real person is behind the stalking?***


	17. Jessica and the stalker

Hotch began to panic. Learning that his own son and sister-in-law were the hands of an unknown stalker scared him. He would risk their own lives to hopefully get the word out to his team. Someone had to know what was going on in his life.

"Rossi, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Hotch asked his co-worker, who was busy reading a case file.

"Sure," the older profiler replied.

Once the two men were in Hotch's office, the Unit Chief prepared to share the secret that had been bothering him for almost a month.

"Dave, I think I'm being stalked," Hotch said quickly. "Someone has Jack and Jessica. They said that if I tell anyone, my family gets hurt."

"How long has this been going on?" Rossi replied.

"About a month. Whoever this person is knows where I live, about my family, the team, and JJ's accident."

"We will find out who's doing this. I promise."

"You can't tell anyone else. I'm putting my secret in your hands, and I could have my family killed."

"Your secret will never be told, I'll make sure. Also, JJ's doctor had some good news. Her nose is healing more quickly than they thought, and he thinks that by next week she'll won't need to wear the support device. Secondly, they were able to get the false teeth in place, and she's doing ok with talking. Her brain is starting to recover."

"Thank goodness," Hotch breathed a sigh of relief.

"She's a fighter, Hotch. She's going to make it through this."

"How's Reid coping?"

"He's doing ok at the moment."

~CriminalMinds~

Cruz was outside Hotch's office, listening to the Unit Chief tell Rossi about being stalked.

Immediately, he picked up his phone, ran back into his office and dialed his boss.

"Sir, Hotchner disobeyed you. He told Agent Rossi that he was being stalked."

"Thank you for reporting to me. I think I'm going to have a little fun with Hotch's sister-in-law."

~CriminalMinds~

The man hung up the phone and turned around to look at a tied-up Jessica. He smiled sadistically. She saw that look and was terrified. She had no idea what this man wanted with her, or what he was planning on doing to her.

"Since your brother-in-law disobeyed what I said, I get to hurt you. I'll send him a little video showing him what mistake he choose in telling his best friend."

"What did Aaron ever do to you? It's not like people get angry at him. They don't like some of the things he's done, but it's just his job," Jessica replied.

"His boss got me fired. I supposedly tampered with evidence, but I didn't. His boss hurt me to my very core. And now, he's going to pay big time for hurting me. Aaron seems to be the most important person in his life, so he will take Gideon's pain for him."

Jessica didn't even have time to react before she felt the stinging pain of bone breaking and the smell of blood on metal. She screamed, but the man just tied a cloth around her mouth. Her leg had been broken with an iron bar and she had a cut in her abdomen. She passed out from the pain, but didn't know how long she was out for. When she awoke, she felt a pain in her lower abdomen. Her hands had been handcuffed above her head.

"Well, Ms. Brooks, I think your brother-in-law should have received the video by now. He will not be able to trace it. We wouldn't want him to know who I really was, wouldn't he?" the man said.

"You are just sick," Jessica snapped. "Let my nephew go and I'll take his place."

"No! I have to have two hostages at all times. I'll make sure that little Jack doesn't get hurt. You'll just all the pain instead of him."

Jessica screamed in pain when the iron bar hit her broken leg again.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch was reviewing the case file of their latest investigation- the Organized Crime Unit had one of their members killed, but the murder was believed to be a mob hit. He noticed that his stalker had sent him a video along with a message.

-I told you not to tell anyone about me. You didn't listen. So now, I sent a video of your sister-in-law.-

He opened the message, and immediately the camera focused on Jessica. She had been tied up and now the stalker appeared, holding an iron bar. Hotch saw the bar being brought down hard on her leg, hearing the bone break. His hands became fists and under his breath, he swore to murder the man who had hurt her.

The stalker never once did show his face to the camera. He did move out of the way so that Jessica could speak.

"Aaron," her voice said. "If you want Jack and I both back alive, then you'll pay the 500,000 dollars this man wants. Otherwise, you'll never see us again."

The video ended with a message saying:

-You have 24 hours.-

~CriminalMinds~

Rossi had noticed that Hotch was acting even more strange. The Unit Chief had been looking at something on his phone, then had an angry look on his face.

"Hotch," the profiler said. "What's going on? The rest of the team is starting to notice."

"I can't tell anyone more. I already got Jessica badly hurt. That creep broke her leg and did something else to her. He wants half a million dollars ransom or I'm not going to see her or Jack again," the Unit Chief replied.

"I'm so sorry. What can I do to help?"

"Act like you know nothing. Just me telling you about the ransom is enough to get Jessica killed."

~CriminalMinds~

As Jessica sat tied up, helpless, she couldn't stop thinking about her brother-in-law. Was he going to pay the ransom and free her? Or was she doomed to spend the rest of her days in this madman's hands? But, someone else was coming to her mind: Agent Anderson.

Hotch had introduced the agent to her. They became friends very quickly, and had known each other for a year. She had been developing feelings towards Anderson, not knowing he felt the same about her.

"Please, I want to say a goodbye to a best friend of mine. Please," Jessica said.

"Fine, you have three minutes," the man replied.

"Grant…" Jessica began. "I know that you've been trying to reach me for a while, but I've been so busy looking after my nephew. I'm sorry that I haven't been spending as much time with you as I thought I should. But, I may die and I want you to know something before you may never see me again. I love you. I mean every word of it."

She showed her shoe to the camera, which had a secret code written in Sharpie. The shoes were so old that once she got out, and if she got out, she would throw them out. The code said where she was being held. Hopefully Grant would notice the clue.

Without looking at the video, the man sent it to the number that Jessica gave him.


	18. Rescue

Agent Anderson was reviewing Hotch's case file when the phone buzzed. Anderson saw that a text from Jessica had come through. He had been working up the courage to ask her out. But when he opened the video and saw that she had been tied up, his heart dropped to the floor.

He heard her begging voice. He heard her say, "I love you," and then saw the code. He had been studying the symbols since they gotten to know each other, and he realized that she was telling him where she was being held.

He picked up the phone and dialed Strauss.

"This is Agent Anderson, I need a response team to 306 Hazel Parkway, Quantico, Agent Hotchner's sister-in-law is being held captive."

Strauss responded right away, saying that Hotch's team had been notified and they were heading to the scene.

~CriminalMinds~

Jessica felt the man slapping her over and over again. Somehow, he knew that she told the FBI where she was.

"You just had to tell your lover where you were!" the man snapped. "I bet you learned it from him. He probably taught you how to communicate with someone when you don't want a criminal to know what you're saying! But, you will get rescued, along with Jack, but I will vanish without a trace. Just like your brother-in-law will."

The man quickly headed out the back door, wearing gloves, then disappeared into the daylight.

The front door was kicked open, and Jessica heard the sounds of, "FBI! FBI!"

Hotch ran over to her and untied her. She broke down crying as he brought her into an embrace. Anderson was the second person to join the embrace, and when Jessica saw him, she had happy tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe that he was here to rescue her.

Hotch said that he would be right back- he was going to find his son.

Anderson took Jessica into a hug, where he stroked her hair comfortingly. Then, he kissed her, and she melted away into his embrace.

"I love you," he said. "I didn't know you felt the same way about me."

"I felt the same way for a few months. I didn't know what you'd think."

"Jessica Brooks, will you go out with me?"

"Yes, I would love to. When?"

"After you get out of the hospital, does that sound fine?"

"Absolutely."

~CriminalMinds~

Anderson was the first person to stand up when the doctor came out holding the clipboard. He asked to speak to the agent alone.

Hotch and the team were anxious to know what happened to Jessica. Jack wasn't hurt at all, so he didn't have to stay in the hospital.

Hotch saw Anderson's face pale and begin to cry. Something was not good.

"Doctor Collins? I'm Jessica's brother-in-law. What's going on with her?"

"She...she is unable to have children. It is physically impossible," the doctor replied.

Hotch suddenly paled. He knew what the man had done to her. He had seen the exact same thing happen to thirteen women in a case from three years ago.

"I going to find this no-good, vicious, dirty, hung-up piece of crap and kill him myself," the Unit Chief said. "I'll make sure he pays for what he did to Jessica."

~CriminalMinds~

Cruz was sitting at his desk, reviewing the case file. He felt so guilty for working for the dark side, but, if Hotch hadn't married Haley...then Cruz could have married her. He had been in love in her...deeply in love, but Haley ditched him for Hotch. She had lied to her now ex-husband about being single, but she had been constantly sleeping around with Cruz and cheating on Hotch.

Ever since Haley married the Unit Chief, Cruz's anger had been building up. He wanted Haley, but then she ran off with Will LaMontagne.

The former Section Chief had to step down from his position once Erin had been declared 'sane.' He was now Unit Chief of Anderson's team.

Cruz didn't even like Anderson. Now that the agent had asked Hotch's sister-in-law out on a date, the boss would not be impressed.

Cruz picked up the phone and dialed the boss.

"Boss, Anderson asked Jessica out. And Hotch barely got his family back alive. What'd you do to the sister-in-law?"

"You really want to know the details, idiot? The BAU's probably listening in. Get off the phone and talk to me later. I've got something to take care of," the voice snapped before hanging up.

~CriminalMinds~

It was the day of Elle's two-month scan, and the one-month anniversary of JJ's fall. Her nose was working fine and she didn't need the support to breathe. She could do it on her own.

She was quickly adapting to the false teeth. She was forming complete sentences and was rapidly able to develop a paragraph. She and Reid were going to celebrate their fourth month of dating at the hospital. The brain damage was coming down significantly. It was still damaged, and she was suffering from her temporary vertigo condition. The doctor told Reid that she would be in the hospital for another one to two months until her brain was well enough to be able to rest up at home.

When Reid came by the hospital after work, he brought her flowers and gave her a kiss.

"Happy anniversary," he said. "Four months."

"Wow already? I can't believe it. I love you."

"I love you too. But I came here to ask you a very important question."

"Ask me Spence."

"Jennifer Jareau, I've known you for seven years and it feels like I've known you forever. I don't want this to end at all. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Will you marry me?" he asked, pulling out the ring.

JJ couldn't believe what she was seeing. She hadn't expected Reid to propose. She was expecting flowers and a visit.

"Yes, of course, Spence, I will marry you," she said. He put the ring on her finger and gave her a long kiss. It was certainly the best anniversary date he ever had.


	19. Hurting Emotionally

***A/N: There will be a Dharma and Greg reference. I'm pretending that Hotch used to go by Greg Montgomery, then changed his name after losing Dharma in an accident. (10 years before the beginning of the story.)***

-_Everybody's been there, everybody's been stared down by the enemy. Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing, bow down to the mighty. Don't run, stop holding your tongue. Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live. Maybe one of these days you can let the light in. Show me how big your brave is._-

-You're not brave. You just save other people's lives because it's your job. You're just another worthless person who doesn't deserve this job. I'll be looking forward to seeing you soon.-

Hotch set his phone down on his desk. He looked like he was going to cry, but he didn't. His stalker was hurting him to his core emotionally.

The phone rang, and he noticed that his team was talking about the case amongst themselves, but Rossi suddenly looked up and saw Hotch.

The team set their folders down and started walking towards his office.

"Hello?" Hotch asked.

"Hello Greg," the voice on the other end replied.

The Unit Chief's face drained of all its color. He was turning white. No one knew of his real name. Not even Rossi or Strauss.

"What do you want and how do you know my name?" Hotch replied.

"I think you should already know that, Greg. Or do you want to be called Aaron?"

The Unit Chief put his hand over his mouth, trying to prevent himself from crying. He couldn't believe that his stalker knew even his deepest secrets. On the other hand, Hotch had no idea who this person was.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?" he yelled. It was loud enough that his team could hear him on the other side of the glass.

"Your real name, Aaron? It's not that hard to find. All I had to do was put your name into the search engine and I found your records as Greg Montgomery. That simple. Soon, Greg, soon."

The line went dead and Hotch set his phone down on the desk like it was a black widow spider ready to bite him. He was unable to hold back his tears. Pulling open the office door, he stormed out, headed for the bathroom, crying the whole way there.

"Stay here, I'll be right back," Rossi said to the team. He walked down the hall and entered the bathroom, hearing someone sobbing loudly. He saw Hotch sitting on the floor, his head in his hands, crying like there was no tomorrow.

"Ssh, calm down." Rossi ran over to his best friend and pulled him into a comforting hug. Hotch had finally broken down. "What's wrong?"

"He...he called me," the Unit Chief said in between tears. "My stalker. He knows about my past. Those records have been sealed for almost 12 years. I don't know how he found them."

"Your past?"

"My real name is Greg Montgomery. I was a lawyer. I was married to a woman named Dharma, and she died in a car accident fifteen years ago. I had my name legally changed and I moved on with my life. You can't tell the team, Rossi. You just can't."

"I won't. No one else knows about the stalking, although they are starting to suspect something."

"He called me Greg. He knows about my name change."

"Hotch...I promise you, we'll catch this guy. He'll rot away in prison for the rest of his life. I'll make sure he does."

~CriminalMinds~

Jason was on his way to the OBGYN's office with Elle, when his phone rang. She answered the call.

"Hello?" she asked.

"May I speak to Gideon please?" the voice asked.

"Who is this?"

"Max Ryan."

"Honey, it's Max Ryan," Elle said, giving her phone to her husband.

Jason smiled once he heard his former boss's voice. "Max! It's been too long. Where have you been all these years?"

"Traveling," Ryan replied. "Gone to Paris, Italy, and found a woman while I was in Fiji. We've been married for seven years and have two beautiful little girls. And you?"

"I'm still at the BAU, and am now married to the love of my life, Elle. I've been loving Quantico even more. I don't think I'll ever want to leave."

"You want to meet up for dinner in a couple of days? That Italian place downtown."

"Sure, I'll see if I can get away from work. How about 6?"

"Yeah, that should work. I got to go, my wife's calling me. I'll see you then. Bring Elle too. I would love to get to know her."

"Alright, I'll bring her along. See you in a couple of days. Bye."

"Bye."

But when Gideon hung up the phone, he looked a little nervous.

"Jay, what's wrong?" Elle asked, using her husband's nickname.

"Something feels off. I don't know what, but when I talked to Max, he seems to have changed. Not in a good way."

"I'm sure everything's fine, you're going to meet your best friend, someone you haven't seen in years. Now, we've got an appointment to attend."

~CriminalMinds~

The expecting couple headed into the hospital and found the directory that told them where the OBGYN's room was. Suddenly, just before they turned the corner and headed down the hall to the room, the couple heard a terrifying scream. Gideon and Elle both pulled out their guns, but attracted attention from a nurse.

"Ma'am, we're allowed to carry guns, we're FBI," Gideon said, pulling out his credentials. Elle did the same. She said that she wouldn't say anything, and the couple was running down the hall. The scream had come from the OBGYN's room, the exact room where Elle was supposed to have her scan.

She gasped in horror at the sight of the nurse, lying dead and lifeless on the floor. A puddle of blood was on the floor, coming from a stab wound to the chest.

"Oh no…" she began, finding a piece of paper lying next to the body.

Pulling out gloves, she picked up the paper, which had only one typed sentence on it, along with a picture.

It was a picture of Hotch with a red box around him. Underneath the picture, the sentence said:

-He's next.-

***A/N: The italics in the first text at the beginning are from the song 'Brave' by Sara Bareilles. Also, I have a link on my profile of what the 'He's Next' note looks like.***


	20. Hotch in trouble

***A/N: I am skipping ahead a bit in time. But I will GO BACK. I promise. This takes place about two months after the note at the hospital. I was inspired by Person of Interest's ending to 4x11. So, the first part of the chapter is based on that scene.***

***To HotchRocks: You're probably going to hate me for what I'm about to do to Aaron. Don't worry, there will be a little surprise at the end.***

A four-month pregnant Elle walked into work feeling tired. The team had solved six cases in the past two months, and yet, they were no closer in finding out who Hotch's stalker was. The person behind the crime was extremely good at hiding themselves.

As Elle and the team gathered in the bullpen, they heard a voice over the intercom saying that about 20 people holding guns were on their up to the sixth floor and were planning on taking out the entire BAU task force. But, Hotch's team was prepared for the worst. They loaded up on guns and prepared to shoot. The team knew that there were two elevators down to the first floor. The team, including Strauss, headed straight for the spare elevator. Unbeknownst to the team, the men downstairs had disabled the controls on the elevator, preventing it from going down. Cruz was nowhere to be seen.

Morgan, Gideon, and Rossi had their sidearms drawn and began shooting at the men. Elle, Reid and Emily were ducking because they didn't have their weapons. Finally, 17 of the original 20 men were lying on the floor, in comas from the amount of pain they were suffering from. Reid stood up and began to push the 'down' key to hopefully have the team escape before the final three enemies arrived. But the key wasn't working properly.

"What the-?" the genius asked. "The button's not working!"

Hotch noticed a large red button across the way from the elevator.

"That's the override button, one of us can press the button and hold them off," he said.

"If you even think about it," Prentiss began, standing up. "I don't want you to die."

"For goodness sakes!" he replied angrily.

The brunette profiler was confused. She didn't know what her boss was saying.

Then, Hotch did something that shocked the entire team, even Prentiss herself.

The Unit Chief grabbed onto the sleeves of Emily's suit jacket and pressed his lips against hers for a few seconds. He gave her a small push backwards into the elevator. Morgan and Gideon caught her before she fell and hit her head.

"I love you, Prentiss," Hotch said to Emily before pulling down on the iron-caged door handle. This elevator did not have doors that opened and closed within a few seconds. Instead, you would push the 'up' or 'down' button, then someone would grab onto the handle and pull the door down to the ground.

Hotch pulled the door to the ground and used a hook to lock the door in place. He grabbed his gun and quickly ran over to the override button and pressed it.

Emily stumbled forward, gripping her fingers around the iron-cage holes. Her face had paled, and it looked like she wanted to scream.

One of the final three men came around the corner, and Hotch fired off a shot, hitting the man in the shoulder. He stumbled to the side, and received a second bullet to his shoulder, causing him to fall next to the other men on the floor.

One down, two to go, Hotch thought, but didn't even have time to see the other two men...both of whom he knew very well.

"HOTCH!" Emily screamed. But it was too late.

The man in front, Cruz, pulled the trigger. A bullet rang through the air. It slammed into the right side of Hotch's chest. He started to lose his balance, but managed to stand up.

"No, Hotch!" Emily said.

Her boss was able to fire off two more bullets, both of which unfortunately missed the targets. Cruz pulled the trigger again, the bullet slamming into the right side of Hotch's abdomen.

The Unit Chief was unable to fire another shot. He fell to his knees, the gun falling out of his hand and skidding to the floor.

"NOOOOOOO!" Emily screamed, her face streaked with tears. Morgan and Rossi were pulling her fingers away from the door. They were horrified at the fate of their leader. Hotch lay on the floor, barely moving and blood spilling onto the floor from the gunshots. Cruz took Hotch's backup gun and gave it to his boss.

The brunette profiler saw the image of her Unit Chief fading away before her eyes. Hotch had sacrificed himself to save his team. As the elevator began heading towards the first floor, the last thing Emily saw before the sixth floor faded away from her vision was the sight of former Section Chief Mateo Cruz pointing his gun at Hotch's head.

~CriminalMinds~

Emily was upset. More upset than the rest of the team. She was not accepting any form of comfort. She was crying her eyes out. Her boss, her now-would-be boyfriend had been shot twice. She had seen him, bleeding on the floor, looking like he was dead. She had seen Mateo pull the gun out. But she never heard a shot. Maybe Cruz had put a silencer on the end of the weapon and killed Aaron quickly.

~CriminalMinds~

He was in pain. A blinding light greeted his eyes when he woke up. He had seen two men, then felt white-hot pain rip through his body. He slowly rolled his head from side to side and discovered that his hands had been handcuffed behind him. He was unable to say anything because of the cloth tied around his mouth.

"Aaron, Aaron, Aaron, how nice to see you again," Hotch's stalker said, entering the room. The Unit Chief saw he had a bandage around both of his gunshot wounds. He also recognized his stalker right away.

"Oh, I forgot, you can't speak," the man said, roughly yanking the cloth away.

"You...how could you? How did you know about me?" Hotch demanded.

"Cruz here found everything. He was my Garcia. Now I know everything about you."

"What do you want from me?"

"You are here because Jason screwed up big time. He got me fired. Now, he will pay for his mistakes. You will be taking the pain for him. Let's see him suffer even more."

"I don't believe you! You were his best friend. How could you do this to him?"

"Shut up," the man said, ripping off a strip of duct tape and putting it over Hotch's mouth. "I don't want Jason to hear you yet. I'm going to have a nice little chat with him."

The man pulled out a burner phone and dialed Gideon. He picked up after the second ring.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Hello Jason," the man said. "You know who I am."

"No, no way! You've been stalking him? How could you?"

"Because you screwed up my whole life. Everything. You cost me my job. That was one of the best things that ever happened to me!"

"What do you want?"

"You to suffer for what you did."

"You killed our OBGYN, didn't you?"

"Yes I did. Wasn't so hard. My prize will be much harder though."

"Your prize?"

"Why, yes, I do believe I have something that belongs to you that you will most certainly want back."

"What is it?"

A ripping sound was heard, then came a voice.

"Jason…" Hotch said, unable to finish his thought.

Gideon's hands became fists.

"You son of a- I hate you!" Jason shouted at the stalker.

"You won't get him back until you get me what I want. But I'll call about that in a few days."

"I will kill you."

"Nice try, Jason," Max Ryan snarled into the phone. "You'll be too late."


	21. Natural Born Killer

Hotch looked incredibly frightened. He couldn't believe that his co-worker's former boss was the stalker. The one who knew everything about him. The one who hired Cruz to find the records. And now, the Unit Chief had absolutely no way of escaping from this madman.

"Just look at you," Max sneered. "BAU Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner completely defenseless and can't even survive 20 men bursting into his workplace. You have no idea how long I've been wanting to have you in a place like this. All alone, hurting, suffering, and away from your little friends. Now, what's your wife going to think about this when she finds out that you've been cheating on her?"

"I'm not cheating on my wife! We're divorced. She cheated on me. I can date whoever I want now!" Hotch yelled.

"Yea, yea, like I would believe any crap that comes out of your mouth. I'm going to torture and beat you until I can't take it anymore. I'll even let your girlfriend and little BAU friends watch. But first, I have to speak to Gideon again. We're going to try and do an exchange. But it will all be fake. You will never leave my sight."

Ryan pulled out a phone and dialed Gideon. The profiler picked up right away.

"What do you want, Ryan?" Jason snapped. "I'm not in the mood to speak to you. You're not even my best friend anymore. You're a betrayer and a liar. I trusted you, but once I heard Hotch, I knew what you'd done. Just let him go and you can have me instead."

"Why, you're so brave. But it's not like I'm going to listen to you. I have what I wanted for years, ever since you screwed up and ruined my life, and nothing will be good enough for me. Unless you will agree to my demands."

"What do you want?"

"If you want your precious Aaron back alive, then you will do everything I say or I will hurt him."

"Tell me what you want."

"I demand a million dollars wired to an untraceable bank account at this number: 2NE1. You have exactly 48 hours from the moment this call ends to get the money or you're never going to see him again. Understood?"

"Understood, Ryan."

"Good. Remember, you have 48 hours or he's dead."

The line went dead.

TIMER: 47:59:59…

~CriminalMinds~

As Hotch felt Ryan punching him in the face, the Unit Chief remembered bringing in a dangerous killer from two months ago…

The man's name was Vincent Perotta, and he had killed over a hundred people. The BAU had finally trapped him in an abandoned office building, and when the team entered, they found one of Perotta's soon-to-be victims lying on the floor, close to death. Hotch had told the team to call a medic, but he was going to find the killer.

As he turned the corner, he was suddenly hit from behind. Luckily, his gun didn't fall out of his hand. But Perotta tied a cord around the Unit Chief's throat and began to strangle him. Hotch suddenly gasped for air, the oxygen quickly running out. He felt the darkness trying to claim him, and just when he thought he would fall victim, Morgan arrived and shot Vincent in the shoulder. Hotch collapsed on the ground, coughing and trying to regain his breath.

"You ok?" Morgan asked.

"Yea," the Unit Chief replied. "Just get that creep out of here before he kills another person."

Morgan led the unsub out of the building, and had him taken to prison.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch realized that he must have fallen asleep because Ryan had entered with a projector and a screen. The Unit Chief, still having his hands handcuffed behind a chair, snapped himself awake.

"Good, you're awake," Ryan sneered. "This is connected to the BAU's wifi. You can now see the time you have left before you spend the rest of your days here, suffering. Right now, your time has 47 hours to get me a million dollars."

The Unit Chief let out a laugh. "Like they'd pay a traitor a million dollars. They'll never trust you again. They'd do anything to get me back, but they wouldn't give away that kind of money."

Ryan's voice became ice-cold.

"You watch your mouth if you want the full time to live. Otherwise, I'll kill you and send you back to them."

Hotch gulped, then stopped talking. He didn't want to die. He wanted to spend time with Emily since he was deeply in love with her. He was still thinking about the goodbye kiss in the elevator he had given her before he tried to take down Cruz and Ryan.

The former Section Chief entered the room, carrying a bowl of chicken soup, a bottle of water, and a bucket.

"Eat," Ryan ordered. "You need food to keep you healthy in order for me to torture you longer. You seem like you can take pain for quite a while before you'll give in."

"Can I have my cuffs removed so I can at least eat the soup?" Hotch asked.

"Cruz, take off his cuffs and make sure he doesn't get away. I need him alive."

Mateo obeyed, but Hotch was quick. Knocking Cruz aside, the Unit Chief almost made it to the door before Ryan noticed that his prisoner was trying to escape. Without wasting another second, Hotch felt the excruciating pain of electricity flowing through his body. He dropped to his knees and turned his head to see an angry Max walking towards him. Ryan grabbed onto his hostage's ankle and dragged him back into the room. This time, Hotch was forced to stand with his wrists tied above him with a chain.

"I warned you," Ryan threatened. "You have an electricity belt around your waist that allows me to shock you when I want. And now, you listen to me. I do the demanding and you do the obeying. Otherwise, there will be consequences. I'll just turn up the setting on this little button. It's connected to the belt. I do only hope you'll listen to me."

Hotch felt the electricity again, but this time the setting had been turned up.

"Disobey me and the next shock will hurt a thousand times worse than what you just felt."

***A/N: 2NE1 is actually a K-Pop band. One of the best out there.***


	22. Derailed

TIMER: 45:36:56..

"It's been three hours and we are no closer to getting that money and saving Hotch!" the team heard Gideon shout from Rossi's office. The members were worried for their boss's safety, but no one was as upset as Jason was. He had come out of the office and angrily walked over to his desk. Then, he began searching for something on his computer, but with no results. As if his day couldn't get any worse, his computer monitor started showing an error message and the screen turned blue.

"Stupid computer! You just have to ruin my already bad day even worse!"

Other agents in the bullpen began to snicker when Jason started going on a rant. He slammed his hand against the monitor, but the error message wouldn't go away. In his anger, he picked up the monitor and threw it across the room. Several agents ducked as it flew through the air and hit the wall.

"JASON, STOP IT!" a voice shouted. It was his wife, who put a hand on her pregnant belly. "CALM DOWN! THROWING YOUR MONITOR ACROSS THE ROOM ISN'T GOING TO HELP GET THE MONEY ANYTIME FASTER!"

Gideon froze at his wife's yelling. Whenever she yelled, she would get angry and became impatient.

"Alright," he replied, going over to where the now-broken monitor was.

"Come with me," she said. "I have a surprise for you."

He followed his wife into the back hallway of the BAU, where she showed him a sonogram photo.

"You wanted to know the gender, it's on the top. Just take the Post-It off and you'll see. Thought it might cheer you up."

Gideon took off the little empty note, then found the word 'GIRL' written in capital letters.

"I love you even more," he replied. "I was hoping for a little girl."

"Then I'm glad I gave you your wish."

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch began looking around the room for some sort of escape plan. He had finally come up with one, but was waiting for the right time.

After Ryan was in the room, his back turned away from Hotch, the Unit Chief began to swing back and forth, gaining some momentum. The chain broke from the swinging motion, and Hotch knocked out Ryan and ran for his life. Stealing Cruz's cellphone, which had been left on the computer desk, he quickly dialed Gideon and told him the address. The profiler replied, saying that they were going to be at the location in five minutes.

~CriminalMinds~

The team actually arrived early, and Hotch was able to arrest Cruz, but there was no sign of Ryan. Morgan and Reid searched the entire house, but the stalker was nowhere to be found.

"Hotch," Morgan said once he was outside. "Ryan's gone. We searched the entire house, but there's no sign of him."

"Darn it! How could he have gotten away? I was about to arrest him. But at least we have Cruz. Maybe he can tell us where Ryan went."

Morgan lead Cruz to another vehicle, and made sure that he wouldn't try and escape.

~CriminalMinds~

Another case was about to wrap up the next day: a schizophrenic patient at a mental hospital had escaped and was now holding five people hostage on a train.

Gideon and the team, minus one member, arrived at the scene to find SWAT trying to negotiate with the patient.

"Any info on the condition of the hostages inside?" Morgan asked the SWAT leader.

"The hostages appear to be alright at the moment. So far, the man, Doctor Ted Bryar, has released three of his five hostages' names. He has shot and killed a security guard, but everyone else is alive. The names are Josh Patel, Elaine Curtis, and Harry Anderson. There are two women who have yet to be identified," the leader said. "Wait, another name has just been released. The first woman is Ted's doctor, Linda Deaton. She's treating his condition."

Morgan reported back to Hotch, but when the profiler arrived back, he noticed that someone was missing. He knew it wasn't JJ, since she was still in the hospital, but getting out soon.

"Hotch, where's Elle?" Morgan asked.

The Unit Chief panicked. Elle had gone on a train to investigate a lead in the Bryar case.

"I think she's on that train," Hotch replied.

"Sir," the SWAT leader said after walking over to the group. "There's a woman on the train who says that she's from your team. Elle Greenaway."

"She's not Greenaway anymore, but yes, that's her."

"Oh, I apologize. What's her name?"

"Elle Greenaway-Gideon."

"Alright, I'll see if Bryar will let her talk to you."

Once the walkie-talkie was handed to Gideon, he paled once he heard his wife's trembling voice on the other end of the line.

"Jason, please get me out of here," she said. "He's crazy."

"Sweetheart, we're coming up with something. We're going to get you out of there."

Bryar's voice interrupted. "You will get this machine out of my head or I swear I will kill everyone on this train. Including your precious wife. Now, we wouldn't want that, would we?"

"If you hurt her in any way, I will make sure you never get out of that hospital. I'll make sure it happens."

"Sir, I can help," Reid said into the walkie-talkie. "I've had to deal with this kind of situation before."

"And how can you help me exactly?"

"I have a schizophrenic mother who sometimes does the exact same things as you."

"Alright, get on this train in the next five minutes."

Reid obeyed, making sure he would be able to use his gun if he had to. When he got on the train, Elle had managed to secure Bryar with handcuffs. She was leading him out to the SWAT team, who would take him back to the mental hospital where he lived.

Gideon saw Elle and immediately ran over to her, pulling her into a hug.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"He slapped me and took my gun, but that's it."

As she began walking towards the team, Jason noticed that she had a small bump forming. He wanted to name his daughter Jenny after JJ, whose nose was completely healed and false teeth were allowing her to speak properly again. The brain damage was healing quicker than the doctor predicted, and he said that JJ would be able to come back to work in three months instead of waiting a whole year.

~CriminalMinds~

As the team were packing up their things, Hotch was finally able to spend a little time with Prentiss.

"About what happened in the elevator…" she began, but Hotch put a finger to her lips to stop her from finishing.

"I meant it, every moment of it. I'm in love with you, and I know I could lose my job, but I love you and nothing's going to change about that," he replied.

"You did? You meant it?"

"Yes."

She kissed him. "I love you too," she replied. "Ever since I walked into your office a month ago, it was like we had an instant connection."

"Will you join me for dinner tomorrow after work?"

"Agent Hotchner, did you just ask me out on a date?" she teased.

"Agent Prentiss, I believe I did," he teased back. "But, in times like that, you can call me Aaron."

"Okay," she said. "And yes, I would love to go to out to dinner with you. Right after work?"

"How about 7?"

"Sounds good. Goodnight, Aaron."

"Night Emily," he said, kissing her once more, then grabbing his things and heading out the door.

His phone rang, but the Caller ID was unknown.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hello Greg," the voice responded.

"What do you want, Ryan?" Hotch snapped.

"You have no idea where I am, but I will find you. Until we meet again."


	23. I now pronounce you: dead

_"One little sound and I'll kill you!" a voice said._

_Erin looked around at her surroundings. Rossi and the team were on their way out to the jet. They didn't seem to realize that she was missing. She felt herself get dragged towards a car off in the distance._

_"Help!" she screamed, but no one seemed to hear her._

_"Bad move," the man replied. "I told you not to say anything."_

_She felt him hit the back of her head with the .22 caliber, then everything went dark._

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Erin suddenly awoke to the sound of Rossi's alarm going off. _What a dream to have on the last night of being single!_ she thought.

"Dave, shut your darn alarm off; it drives me nuts!" she said, shaking him awake. He shut it off, then jumped out of bed to run to the bathroom.

_I'm so hungover,_ he thought as he went and threw up. _Why did I drink so much at my bachelor party?_

A honking noise told Erin that Emily and Garcia were ready to pick her up. The bride-to-be was spending the day with her co-workers to get ready for the wedding at five that evening.

As Emily waited for the older woman to come out, she saw that Hotch had texted her.

**H: Hi sweetheart, how's my favorite profiler doing? :)**

Emily smiled. Gosh, how she loved this man. He was so kind to her, and he seemed to smile more after getting to know her.

**E: Just fine. :) Erin's going to be coming out soon. I'm so tired.**

**H: I got coffee back at work. You want some?**

**E: Yes, that'd be great. So, when do we tell the team about us?**

**H: When we're at the church before the wedding. Dave and Erin should know before they're gone for two weeks. And Jack's awake, so I got to make him breakfast. I'll see you at the wedding. Love you.**

**E: Love you too.**

However, Garcia had accidently snuck a peek at Emily's phone, and discovered that she was talking to Hotch.

"You and Boss-Man are dating?" the technical analyst asked.

"Garcia! You weren't supposed to know that yet! We haven't told anyone yet," Emily said. "And you looked at my phone, didn't you?"

"It was an accident! But I knew it was coming. You make him so happy."

"I do?"

"Haven't you noticed that he's been more cheerful lately? Other than his kidnapping and stalker, he's been a lot happier since you joined the team."

"I haven't noticed that as much, but I've seen his mood change."

"So, when are you two going on a date?"

"After the wedding. He's taking me to dinner."

"Aww, Boss-Man's a romantic one."

Emily saw Erin walking out of the house, looking slightly disheveled. The older woman climbed into the backseat, looking a little sad.

"Chief Strauss, are you ok?" Garcia asked.

"I'm just nervous," the blond woman replied. "What if I mess up? It's my wedding, and I don't want to ruin it."

"You're not going to ruin your wedding," Emily spoke up. "Have you seen how much Rossi's changed ever since you got engaged? Whenever we're on a plane, he's so excited about the wedding. That man loves you with all his heart and soul."

~CriminalMinds~

Nine hours later, Emily pulled the vehicle in front of the church and almost ran it into the curb when she saw JJ standing outside, next to Reid.

"Oh my gosh, it's really JJ!" the brunette exclaimed. She and Garcia helped Erin out of the car and started walking towards the front door. In the light from inside, Emily saw her co-worker's engagement ring.

The blond profiler was going to be the one walking Erin down the aisle since her dad had died ten years ago and her mother was in jail for a drug bust.

~CriminalMinds~

Rossi was at the end of the altar, waiting for his wife-to-be to walk down the aisle. Their co-workers, friends, and family were all attending the wedding. The music began to play, and Rossi saw her.

She was absolutely beautiful. He couldn't imagine his life without her. Before he knew it, she was standing at the end of the altar, holding his hands, preparing to receive her ring.

Rossi said his vows first, then gave her the ring. After three failed marriages, one of which ended in death, and the other two in adultery, he knew that Erin was going to be faithful to him.

He didn't realize that the ceremony was nearing the end until he was asked the most important question of his life.

"Do you take Erin to be your lawfully wedded wife until death do you part?" the pastor asked.

"Yes, I do," he replied.

"Do you take Dave to be your lawfully wedded husband until death do you part?"

"Yes, I do," Erin replied.

"Then by the power vested in me, and the state of Virginia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Erin wrapped her arms around Rossi's neck as he kissed her.

"I love you," he said. "Mrs. Rossi."

"I love you too, Mr. Rossi."

As the newlyweds made their way to the dance floor, Gideon stood up.

"We have a few announcements to make," he replied. "I have only told Hotch, but he hadn't told the rest of the team. We are expecting a little girl and we have adopted a son."

Reid took his fiancee's hand. "JJ and I are engaged. And she's coming back to work in three months instead of waiting a whole year."

Morgan and Garcia went next.

"We've been dating for almost three months," he said.

"We're dating also," Prentiss replied, taking her boss's hand. "We're going on our first date today."

Ambassador Prentiss, Emily's mother, looked at her daughter with concern. She then threw the look at Hotch, who was told that he needed to be spoken to alone.

Hotch felt like a teenage boy being introduced to a girl's parents before the first date. But the Unit Chief put himself in profiler-mode, making sure that Ms. Prentiss would like him as a good choice for her daughter.

"So, you're dating my daughter?" the Ambassador asked.

"Yes ma'am," he replied. "I'm going to take very good care of her."

"I would hope so; you're her boss, are you not?"

"I am her Supervisor, and no, I'm not going to harm her. I love her very much."

"Isn't it against the rules for a Supervisor to date or be in a relationship with their subordinate?"

"Not anymore."

"Well, you have my blessing to date her. Take good care of her, and if you're not, then we'll-"

"Mother, haven't you questioned him enough?" Emily asked. "Yes, he's my boss, and yes, I love him. Are we done here?"

"Yes, I'm sorry," the Ambassador said, walking away.

The profiler noticed a piece of paper lying on the floor. "Aaron, what's that paper doing there?"

Hotch used his sleeve to pick up the paper. A single-typed sentence was on it.

-Watch where you go.-

He suddenly saw a red light pointed at Emily's chest, right at her heart.

"Emily, get down now!" he ordered, pushing her to the floor. The bullet zipped through the air, missing both of them and hitting the wall.

"Hotch, what's going on?"

"Someone just tried to snipe you," he replied, pulling her away from the window. His phone rang, but the number was unknown.

"Yes, who is this?" he said, not even saying a 'hello.'

"Did you miss me Aaron?" the voice replied. "Of course you did."

"No I didn't, would you just leave me alone?"

"No. I like messing around with you. You're a fast one, pulling your girlfriend out of the way of a sniper's range."

"Shut up, Ryan, screw you."

"You'll regret ever saying those words."

Suddenly, the two profilers heard Garcia's scream from the main room of the church. Hotch and Emily ran in to find the Ambassador lying on the floor, coughing and choking.

"She's having trouble breathing!" Erin shouted.

In ten seconds, nothing could be done. Ambassador Prentiss was dead.

Hotch felt his phone buzz. He saw that a text had been sent.

-This was all your fault, Aaron. Look what you've caused.-

^Ryan^


	24. Anderson

"Hotch, why do you keep staring at your phone?" Rossi asked his best friend.

"It's Ryan," the Unit Chief replied. "He's blaming me for the Ambassador's death all because I told him 'screw you.'"

"Why have you been keeping this to yourself?"

"Because I'm going to find that no-good piece of crap and kill him myself," Hotch said. "Sorry, I'm just in a really bad mood. Since now I just caused the Ambassador's death."

"Hotch, it was not your fault. It's Ryan's fault. And we're going to find him. He won't get out of prison, ever."

The phone buzzed. Another text from Ryan.

-You really think you're going to find me? Think again.-

Hotch wanted to throw his phone across the room because he was so angry. But, he decided to let his anger out through a text to the one person he loathed.

-You no-good piece of crap. I will kill you. And if I don't, then I'll make sure you rot away forever.-

-Those are some brave words coming from someone like you. But I'm not scared.-

-You should be. Because when I say I will shoot you, that means I will actually do it.-

-Nice try. You got to catch me first.-

-Oh, I will. Just you wait.-

-We'll see who wins in the end.-

~CriminalMinds~

After the reception, Erin and Dave walked out front to find a limo waiting for them. A "Just Married" sign had been taped to the back window.

"Have fun," Hotch said, trying to keep his mood at a normal level.

Morgan smirked. "When you come back, am I really gonna want to see the wedding photos?" he teased.

Emily, JJ, and Reid started cracking up.

"Yes, you'll want to see them," Rossi replied. "We'll take lots of pictures."

The couple waved goodbye, then got into the limo and drove off towards the airport.

~CriminalMinds~

An hour later, Emily was finishing up getting ready for her date. She had changed out of her work clothes and had put on a knee-length black dress with red-velvet shoes. She was putting her hair up in a bun when she heard her cat Sergio meowing. She knew her cat meowed only when people had pulled in the driveway.

_Crap, I'm not finished and he's here!_ she thought. Grabbing her shoulder purse, she threw in her wallet and driver's license.

A knock on the door made her nervous. I am going out on a date with my boss. This shouldn't be too bad.

But when she opened the door, it was not who she expected.

"Hello Emily," the voice said. "Sorry I had to come like this."

"No," she replied. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to say hello."

"You are not to come near me."

But he didn't listen. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and forced himself into her house.

"You broke up with me and ruined my life!" It was her ex-boyfriend, Clyde Easter. He used to be her boss, but she quit Interpol and moved to the States.

Just as Clyde prepared to punch her in the face, he suddenly felt a gun touching the back of his head.

"Touch her again and I will kill you," Hotch said. "You are under arrest for violating a restraining order and attempted assault of a federal agent."

The Unit Chief handcuffed him and lead him out to the vehicle waiting off in the distance.

~CriminalMinds~

After Clyde was thrown into prison, Hotch found Emily sitting in the bullpen, looking like she was going to cry.

"Hey, are you alright?" he asked, sitting down beside her.

"It's...it's just that Clyde was my ex-boyfriend and he was going to kill me when we were together. He threatened me all the time," she said. "And now I'm going to cry and ruin my makeup."

"It's ok," he continued. He pulled her out of the chair and hugged her comfortingly. "I'll make sure he doesn't get out of prison ever again."

"I just want to leave here."

"I couldn't ask for more."

He grabbed Emily's hand and intertwined their fingers together as they walked out of the building, attracting strange looks from other agents. They all had the same thought: _Oh, she's just sleeping around with her boss to get a raise._

But what the other agents didn't know was that Hotch and Emily were actually in love and not just fooling around with each other.

~CriminalMinds~

When she saw the car pull up in front of an expensive pizza restaurant, she couldn't believe she was actually going to eat here. Her family never went to this place because they didn't really like pizza, but Emily did. It was her favorite, and the only times she really got to eat it was with her friends when she was growing up. Also, no one knew about her secret abortion.

Hotch opened the door for her and took her hand. He loved her so much, and he wasn't going to let anything ruin their relationship.

They walked inside, and the waitress called out, "Hotchner, table for two?"

"Yes, that's us," he replied.

The waitress lead the new couple over to a table, which was somewhat close to a person that Hotch knew very well.

As the Unit Chief prepared to look at the menu, his phone buzzed. Thinking it was something unimportant, he ignored the buzzing. But then, it began to go off several times. Rolling his eyes and apologizing to his soon-to-be-girlfriend, he pulled out his phone and gasped in horror.

There were four texts from Ryan.

-Hello Aaron.-

-I see you, but you can't see me.-

-I will go after the people you care about.-

-You can't and will never catch me.-

"Aaron, what's wrong?" Emily asked.

"Ryan's still out there, somewhere. He keeps taunting me with texts and calls. He just told me that he's going to go after people I care about," Hotch replied. "When I find him, I'll kill him myself, no questions asked."

~CriminalMinds~

The couple ordered dinner and after paying for the bill, they quickly headed out to the car, wanting to be as close to work as they could. They needed to tell the team tomorrow morning that the texts were coming more and more often.

Hotch drove Emily to her house, then walked her to the front door.

"I had a great time," he said. "But I do have something for you. I had Morgan put them in the car while we were at dinner."

He revealed a large bouquet of red roses and handed them to her.

"Oh, Aaron, they're beautiful," she said. "I'm going to put them in a vase right away."

"They're beautiful like you," he replied, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch had to leave after kissing Emily goodbye because he needed to check on Jack and Jessica.

When the Unit Chief arrived home, he was immediately greeted by his son.

"Daddy!" the boy said, while his father picked him up. "When can I meet Emmy?"

"Soon, buddy, real soon."

Jessica walked out of the kitchen with Anderson right behind her.

"Hello Anderson, I didn't expect to see you here," Hotch said.

"I was just helping Jess out. She's still in a bit of pain from the...thing. But anyway, I was on my way out."

He gave Jessica a kiss. "Love you, see you tomorrow."

"Love you too," she replied.

Everything seemed just fine until a gunshot and a car's screeching tires were heard.

"Grant!" Jessica screamed.

"Stay here," Hotch replied, giving his son to her. Then, the Unit Chief pulled out his gun and made sure that the coast was clear before going outside. On his front porch lay Anderson, bleeding from an abdominal wound.

"Jessica, call 911, I need a medic!" he shouted.

She told Jack to go to his room, then ran to the nearest telephone.

Outside, Hotch noticed a piece of paper lying on the ground. Using his sleeve, he picked up the paper and to his horror, discovered that Ryan had sent him a note.

-You didn't heed my texts, did you? I guess not. I told you I would go after the people you care about. How's my dear Jessica doing?-

^Ryan^


	25. Miscommunication and a painful loss

Once the paramedics arrived at the house, Anderson was immediately loaded up onto a gurney and driven off to the local hospital. Hotch ran back inside and showed Jessica the note. Her face turned white and she looked like she was about to faint. Hotch carried her over to the couch and made sure she laid down in order to let more blood rush to her head.

He picked up the phone and dialed Gideon.

~CriminalMinds~

Elle heard the phone ring after getting out of the shower. Quickly wrapping the towel around herself, she ran into the bedroom and saw Caller ID.

"Hello Boss," she said.

"Hi Elle, can I talk to Jason for a minute?" Hotch asked.

"He's out getting groceries, do you want me to tell him you called?" she asked.

"Yea, sure, that's fine. Have him call me when he gets home."

After saying goodbye, Elle grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down: HOTCH NEEDS TO TALK TO YOU. CALL HIM BACK. SOUNDS URGENT.

She headed into her son Stephen's room, finding him crying. As she bent down to pick him up, she felt her daughter kick.

"Wow, sweetie, stop kicking. Mommy's getting tired," Elle said to the little baby inside her. She and Jason had decided on naming their daughter Natalie.

~CriminalMinds~

When Elle woke up the next morning, she felt herself starting to panic. She kept hearing his words over and over again in her head. She didn't want to go to work, but she was going to have to.

She was being harassed in the workplace. And she couldn't speak up because her harasser threatened her not to say anything.

When she arrived at the BAU, she headed up to the sixth floor and saw Agent Meyer sitting at his desk. He signaled for her to come with him. Making sure that Hotch and the others were distracted, she followed the agent into a part of the floor that wasn't occupied- it was the janitor's closet.

When the door locked behind her, she was so scared. What was she supposed to do?

"We're alone, at last," Meyer said, grabbing her wrist and gently stroking it. "My, my, you're such a beautiful woman. I wish I could have someone like you."

"I appreciate the compliment," she said. "But I'm already married."

"Your husband doesn't have to know about us," he replied, moving closer to her. "I've been in love with you for a long time."

"Meyer, enough! I'm married. I love my husband and he loves me. I'm not going to start an affair!"

"Too bad," he said, pressing his lips against hers, then opening the door.

Meanwhile, Gideon had noticed that Elle had gone off to the back of the building. Something didn't feel right.

As he reached the back of the building, he turned the corner...and saw his wife kissing another man.

Jason felt so dizzy. His face drained of all its color and he was turning white. He began to walk away from the scene, but just as he reached the bullpen, he suddenly felt his vision going away.

"Gideon!" Hotch shouted, running over to his best friend, and catching him before he hit his head on the floor.

~CriminalMinds~

Jason regained consciousness a few minutes later, and when he woke up, he realized he was lying on the break room couch.

"Where...where am I?" he asked, looking at the faces of his co-workers.

"You're in the break room," Hotch explained. "You looked so pale, and that's when you passed out."

"Is it ok if I go home for the rest of the day? I need some time apart from my wife."

"Why? Is there anything going on?"

"I passed out because I saw my wife kissing another agent. Agent Meyer."

The team gasped in horror. They couldn't believe that one of their own would sabotage a marriage.

~CriminalMinds~

The clock reached 6 PM, and Jason knew that his wife would be home from work any minute. If this marriage was going to end, he would take it. He didn't want to be married to a cheating spouse. But Elle was the first person he ever married, and after dating several other women in the past, he realized that the dating scenario wasn't his forte.

He heard the key turn in the lock, and started fiddling with his wedding band.

Should I take it off? he thought. No, wait, let me hear her out first before we end the marriage.

"Hi honey," he heard her say. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, then set her car keys down on the mantel.

_That's funny,_ Gideon thought. _A kiss on the cheek. It's usually on the lips. I suspect something._

"I have something to tell you," she continued. "But first, you know I love you, right?"

He started to pale.

"Jason, what's going on?"

"I...I saw you...and him…" Gideon began.

"Oh no! Jay, I'm so sorry! That guy kissed me."

"He...he did?"

"Meyer's been harassing me at work for about three weeks. He's been hitting on me, asking me to join him on dates, sending inappropriate pictures, and recently started kissing me when I didn't want him to."

"He's been harassing you? Why didn't you tell me or Hotch?"

"Meyer threatened that he would kill Natalie if I told anyone. He's also been touching me. I tried to push him away, but he was quicker."

"He touched you?!" Gideon asked in astonishment.

"Several times. I told him I was married, but he wouldn't stop. He was trying to get me to start an affair with him."

"I'm so sorry, Elle, to think you were cheating on me. I love you so much and I don't know what I would do without you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "And I love you too. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here with you."

"Has Natalie been driving you crazy all day?" he asked.

"She's been kicking several times- oh, she's doing it right now!" Elle exclaimed.

Jason put his hands on his wife's stomach and felt his daughter kicking.

"Hi sweetie, it's good to hear something from you," he said.

But, before they could watch their usual evening TV, his phone buzzed. He gasped in horror when he realized who the message was from.

-I'm sad to hear about your little marriage scare. I was worried that she might just leave you for that guy, oh, what was his name? That's right, it was Agent Meyer.-

Gideon, in a furious rage, almost broke his phone typing the message.

-I'm going to kill you. Hotch will get a piece of you before we both kill you. And Meyer, does he work for you?-

-Yes, he does. But he's already gone. Never to be seen again.-

~CriminalMinds~

When Gideon and Elle entered the bullpen, Hotch and the rest of the team looked at the couple in shock. Yesterday, Jason was upset at her for supposedly starting an affair. And now, they were holding hands and walking in like the 'thing' never happened.

"What's the story?" Morgan asked, while watching Garcia head back to her workspace.

Ignoring the question, Gideon asked to speak to Hotch alone.

In the office, Hotch sat down at his desk and pulled out his notepad at Elle's request.

"Boss, I want to report a case of sexual harassment," she said. "Against Agent Meyer."

"Alright, can you describe to me what happened between you and Agent Meyer that started this whole thing?"

"About three weeks ago, Meyer touched me inappropriately. He told me to come to the back of the building, and he told me that we would be starting a secret affair because he threatened to kill my daughter and ruin my marriage. So, secretly and with coercion, I had to be in an 'affair.' He asked me out on dates, kissed and touched me without my consent. And that's when Gideon saw me. We made up last night."

"That's all I needed to know, and I will be putting a sexual harassment report, which will be given to Strauss when she comes back."

Elle and Jason walked out and headed towards his office. The team was looking at their latest case, but noticed where the couple was heading. They disappeared into the office and the door was shut.

Hotch heard a _thud!_ and walked out, noticing that his team, minus Gideon and Elle, were staring at the locked door.

"What'd I miss?" the Unit Chief asked.

"Um…" was all Reid could mutter. "You missed a package from an Agent Meyer."

"But what was that banging noise?"

"Either Gideon or Elle fell against the door."

"Ok then, I'll just investigate later."

Hotch walked out and heard another _thud!_

He sauntered over to the door. "What are you two doing in there?!"

"Hotch…" came Elle's weak voice.

"Gideon, open the door now!"

The door opened and the Unit Chief saw Elle lying on the floor, coughing up blood and screaming in pain.

"Morgan, call 911, we've got a problem!" Hotch shouted.

~CriminalMinds~

The doctor, holding a clipboard, came out to the waiting room.

"Family of Elle Gideon?" he asked.

"I'm her husband," Jason replied.

"Please come with me. I need to speak to you alone."

Jason followed the doctor into another room.

"I'm sorry, but the baby's gone," the doctor said. "There was nothing we could do."

"My daughter is dead?!" Jason shrieked.

"We ran some blood tests and discovered that your wife had been drugged. It was slow-acting, but deadly to a fetus. Your wife will make a full recovery."

The words pelted him like rocks. He started to cry. His child had been killed. He knew Elle would never take drugs or do anything to harm their baby.

The only other explanation was that someone had slipped Elle a spiked food or drink.

Gideon felt his phone buzz. A text from Ryan.

-I'm sorry for your loss. Not really. This is exactly how I felt when you screwed up and ruined my life.-

The profiler wanted this piece of crap wrung from his neck.

-You killed my child, you piece of crap! I will murder you, no matter how long it takes.-

-I wouldn't sound so confident, Jason. Look what you've caused.-

-You deserve to be in prison.-

-Nice try. But you're not going to catch me.-


	26. The Popular Kids & Blood Hungry

***A/N: The last segment of the chapter has a _24_ reference.***

Hotch looked up from the case file he was reading when he saw Jason walk out, looking very upset. He had tears running down his face.

"Gideon, what happened?" the Unit Chief asked, dropping the magazine on the seat and running over to his best friend. Reid, who had just returned with JJ, saw the look on his face and immediately went into profiler mode.

"That creep Ryan...he murdered our baby," Gideon said, the tears continuing to fall. "He killed my daughter."

"Oh, Jason, I'm so sorry," Hotch replied, pulling him into a hug.

"Ryan slipped something into her food or drink. She's going to recover, but how am I supposed to tell her about the baby once she wakes up?"

"That's for you or the doctor to tell her," Hotch spoke up. "I don't know how I would deal with this."

Jason decided to visit his wife, who was just coming out of her medically-induced unconsciousness. She had to have the baby surgically removed, and would now be recovering for three weeks.

"Jason," Elle said once her husband came in. She noticed his depressed mood. "What's wrong?"

"Natalie's gone," he said. "Ryan killed our daughter."

"No! No, it can't be!" Elle replied.

"I'm sorry, honey, but he slipped you something that killed Natalie. You're now on work medical leave for the next three weeks. The doctor said that after six weeks we can try again."

"I just want to go home and lie down."

"Well, you do need to stay and recover for a couple of days, then you can go home."

~CriminalMinds~

While Elle rested in the hospital and JJ on bed rest at home for about eleven more weeks, Hotch asked SSA Jordan Todd to take Elle's place. The SSA learned that Morgan was on the team, and she had a plan to get Morgan to be her boyfriend. But she knew nothing about him dating Garcia.

The latest case was two high-school students getting murdered. The BAU believed that the students had died because of a cult, but as they began to gather evidence, they discovered that only one person was behind the crime: a teenager named Cory Bridges. He had killed both students, and now was holding Reid as a hostage.

The genius had seen what this man had done to the other two victims.

"If you make a mistake, I'm going to kill your friend here," Cory said, taunting Morgan. The profiler was waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. They were actually outside an abandoned house where the second body had been found.

Jordan came around the back of the house and shot Cory in the shoulder. Reid broke free of his holder's grasp and collapsed in Morgan's arms.

As Emily and Rossi lead Cory out to the waiting vehicle, Reid noticed that JJ was calling.

"Hi sweetie, I'm actually heading back to the station," he said. "Did you need something?"

"I just needed to hear your voice," she replied. "I'm so lonely, but I appreciate you leaving everything out for me. I can easily grab the things when I need them. Are you coming back to Quantico soon?"

"I should be back there later tonight. Have you given any more thought as to when we should get married?"

"Maybe after this creep is arrested and thrown in jail."

"That sounds like a great idea. I can't wait to see Hotch kick the crap out of that guy."

~CriminalMinds~

But Reid was barely able to spend time with his fiancée because in the middle of night, he got a call from Gideon, saying that a body had been found. But it had nothing to do with the Cory Bridges case.

"JJ," the genius said after getting off the phone. "Got a call from Gideon. There's been another body. Completely different case."

"Ok," she replied. "I really wish you didn't have to go."

"I wish I didn't have to either," he replied. "I want to stay here with you."

He gave her a kiss, then threw on his work clothes and headed out the door.

~CriminalMinds~

He walked into work, extremely tired. He noticed that Gideon was even more upset and depressed. The profiler wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone, and he couldn't keep his full focus on the case.

"Jason," Hotch said. "If you want to go see her, I'll have Anderson come and work the case. You need to be with your wife. She needs you more than ever."

"I think I will," Gideon replied.

He signed out and immediately headed to the hospital to spend his time with his wife.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch was contemplating on whether to call Rossi in the middle of his honeymoon. He and Erin were coming back in ten days, but the team did need some help. With two members out on medical leave and another suffering from loss, the team needed a few more people to come and work with them. Todd had settled in nicely and Anderson had come over as soon as he had been paged.

~CriminalMinds~

Two weeks later, the case was officially closed. It didn't take long for Garcia and her excellent hacking skills to figure out that the unsub was a cannibal. She had found where he was hiding, and the team was on their way to arrest him before he killed anyone else.

Rossi and Erin were back from their honeymoon. They had been sad about leaving, but they knew their jobs were very important.

Erin had told her team that she didn't mind being called by her maiden name. When she arrived back, she found about 50 sheets of paper on her desk. On top of the stack of papers was Elle's sexual harassment report.

~CriminalMinds~

Ryan just sat outside the BAU, watching every one of them carefully. He had found some very interesting info about Erin...and he planned to expose it.

Picking up his burner phone, he dialed her number from the photocopied version of the BAU's phonebook.

"Strauss," she said.

"Hello Karen," Ryan responded.

~CriminalMinds~

Erin had been sorting through the stack of papers when she heard the desk phone ring.

She answered it, and suddenly froze when he said her name. Her REAL name.

"Who is this?" she asked.

"You don't know? I was an old friend," the voice replied. "Why'd you change your name, Karen? Is it because of Bill, your first husband?"

"Who are you and how do you know that information?"

"You should already know who I am. While we continue to talk, do you want me to call you Karen? Or Erin?"

Rossi, reading the case file board, looked towards Erin's office and suddenly noticed his wife turning white. She looked like she wanted to cry.

"We're done with this conversation," Erin snapped. "I'll have this call traced and have you arrested."

"I don't think so. You see, I have a friend that can hack anything and find out some very interesting things that are hidden for years. He found your records. You have a very interesting past. Working for Homeland Security, married to a Bill Buchanan, but then he committed suicide in an explosion. Must have killed you so much emotionally that you couldn't bear to live as Karen Hayes-Buchanan anymore. And now, your life as Section Chief Erin Strauss-Rossi must be so much better. Also, you won't be able to trace this call, it's being done on a burner phone. And by the time this call ends, I'll be gone. I look forward to meeting you, Karen."

The line clicked, and Erin set the phone back on its cradle. Her breathing picked up in a panic, and she let her tears fall.

Rossi walked into her office and closed the door behind him.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I...I have a past. I changed my name after my husband died. Someone called me, calling me by my real name and telling me about my past. They knew it all," she said, breaking down in his arms.

"I believe the same person who called you is Max Ryan, the man who stalked and kidnapped Hotch. Ryan managed to escape. We have no clue where he is."

Rossi suddenly heard his phone buzz. A text had arrived.

-Hi Dave, did you appreciate my little phone call to your wife?-

^Ryan^

The profiler immediately responded back.

-What do you want with us?-

-Payback for ruining my life. I told Aaron I would go after the people he cares about. And your wife is one of them.-

-I'm going to rip you to shreds.-

-Nice try. I'm not afraid and never will be.-


	27. What Fresh H? & Poison

***A/N: Sorry for late posting. I was trying to post this two days ago, and I got swarmed with homework.***

The next morning was just another ordinary day in Quantico. But what the BAU didn't know was that high winds were headed their way. And it would change Erin and Hotch's lives forever, learning that Fate was everywhere and could strike at any moment.

The Section and Unit Chief had to take a break from the case for about an hour and wash the sixth floor windows from the outside.

Erin and Hotch got into the window-washing platform and rode up to the sixth floor. Between the two of them, the job was taking less time than they expected.

The two finished their task in half an hour, and prepared to head back to the bullpen, grab the team, and head off to the jet.

But, suddenly, there was a quick, sudden shift in the wind change. The platform, unable to stay still, was blown away from the building and began moving around in the air.

The rest of the team was on their way to the jet, when they heard a terrifying noise. Rossi turned around and gasped in horror at the sight of the platform crashing into the window. He heard the glass shatter, and realized that his wife was still on the platform.

"Erin's still up there!" Rossi shouted to the team. "I'll dial a response team."

The team continued to watch the platform spiral out of control as the supporting line snapped from the roof.

Rossi realized that with the support line broken, if the wind continued to push the platform around, the other two cables would snap and both his wife and Hotch would fall to their deaths.

Meanwhile, dangling six stories above the hard concrete, Erin and Hotch had grabbed onto the sides of the platform and held on for dear life.

~CriminalMinds~

The response team quickly headed up to the sixth floor and tried to calculate when the platform would crash into another window. Erin and Hotch were still holding on to the side, hoping that the cables wouldn't snap. But, just as they thought they were going to fall to their deaths, the platform crashed through the window where the rescue team was. The two superiors saw that this was their only escape chance. They ran off the platform and into the building, where Erin saw her husband running to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm a little shaken," she replied.

But she started crying. "I thought I was going to die. I thought I'd never see you again."

He pulled her into his welcoming arms. "It's ok, you're safe now."

Emily saw her boyfriend shaking with fear. She lead him away from the window. She hugged him comfortingly.

~CriminalMinds~

Eight weeks passed, and JJ was only a matter of days away from coming back to work. She missed working cases and hunting down unsubs. They had arrested a kidnapper after he abducted a child from a local park. They had been searching long and hard for a month and a half, and they finally found him, hiding at his mother's house. The boy was alive and returned home to his family.

But now, the team was investigating a poisoning case. Elle had walked into the house and tried to take some pictures, but the awful smell of death began to overpower her. She felt like she was going to vomit.

"Excuse me," she said, running outside to get away from the smell.

"Jason!" Morgan called down the hall. The older profiler had been looking through the victim's computer with Garcia when he heard his name being called.

"Yes Morgan?" Jason asked.

"Elle ran outside, looking really sick. The guy hasn't been dead that long, but she ran out like he'd been dead for two weeks."

Gideon walked out to the backyard, and found his wife with her head between her knees. Morgan had been right- she looked so ill.

"Are you feeling alright?" Jason asked her.

"I think so, but I think that guy has been dead for too long and the smell just hit me."

"Reid said the guy's only been dead for about seven hours."

"It smelt like two weeks. I don't feel so great."

"I'll ask Hotch if I can take you home. I don't want you working if you're not feeling so good."

~CriminalMinds~

After Gideon dropped his wife off at home, he noticed that she immediately headed for the toilet. She looked so pale, and he wondered if he should stay home with her.

"Go back to the scene," she said. "I know where the medicine is. I'll see you when you come home."

He was reluctant, but he told her to call him if she needed anything.

~CriminalMinds~

She saw that stick lying on the counter with its pink lines. She had accidently thrown the box in the trash, but left the instructions next to the sink.

The directions, near the bottom, read: IF THERE ARE TWO LINES, YOU'RE PREGNANT. IF THERE IS ONE LINE, YOU'RE NOT PREGNANT.

She was sweating nervously. What would Gideon say about the results? Would he leave her?

Picking up the stick, she saw the two lines.

"I'm pregnant!" she shouted to the empty house. She couldn't wait to tell her husband. They had lost their first child, and now there were going to have a second one.

~CriminalMinds~

When Jason arrived home, he saw that his wife was more excited then she had been that morning. She didn't look sick at all anymore.

I guess the medicine worked, he thought.

"You look much better," he said. "Did you get rid of the bug?"

"It wasn't a bug," she replied. "I've got bigger news."

"Bigger news?"

"Yes. You're going to be a daddy."

It took him a minute to process what she had just told him. But once he understand, he was crying happy tears. They would have their own family. The one thing they wanted in their marriage.

~CriminalMinds~

Emily was getting ready to leave for another date with Hotch. They'd been going out for two months and their love for each other was stronger every day.

They had decided to go to the new Mexican restaurant around the corner from the BAU. What Emily didn't know was that it was Tango Tuesday at the restaurant. Hotch had planned to take her dancing.

After taking their seats, the live band started playing Tango, and Hotch got out of his seat and faced his girlfriend.

"Emily, would you care to dance with me?" he asked, holding his hand.

"Yes, I would love to," she replied, taking his hand.

There were about 50 other people in the restaurant, and everyone's attention was on Hotch and Emily, who surprisingly had amazing dancing skills.

Emily had taken Tango lessons in her free time, and Hotch had learned them while he was still married to Haley.

After dancing for about 15 minutes, they took their seats and decided to order dinner. While looking at the menu, Emily noticed her boyfriend's tan line on his ring finger. She suddenly thought she had caused an affair.

"Hotch, I need to go," she said. "I don't want to ruin your relationship with your wife."

"Emily, I'm divorced," he replied, placing his hand over hers. "My wife cheated on me with JJ's husband. Our marriage was over several months before you joined the team. We've both moved on from each other."

"I saw the tan line and was afraid."

"You don't have to worry about anything. I'm more in love with you every day."

"And I love you too," she replied. "When you catch the man who murdered my mom, let me have a piece of him before you kill him."

"Certainly," he said.

His phone buzzed, and it was a text from Ryan.

-You think you'll get a piece of me? Think again. What did I tell you before? You're not going to catch me.-


	28. Bad news for Hotch

"Agent Hotchner, I need to speak to you in my office now. It's urgent," Strauss said to her subordinate. He had been looking at the bulletin board containing the name of the man who had poisoned fifteen people.

Hotch walked into his boss's office and closed the door.

"Agent Hotchner, I'm aware of your stalker because he contacted me and taunted me about my past. I got word from the city prison that Cruz had escaped. They have no idea where he is or how he got out undetected. But whatever plan these two have formed seems like it won't go so well in the end," Erin said.

Hotch's phone rang. The Section Chief said she would have Garcia trace the call.

He didn't respond with a 'hello,' and instead waited for the other person to speak.

"Hello Greg," the voice responded.

His face drained of its color. Ryan was back, still out there, still having secret info that had been hidden for years.

"Do you still want me to call you Greg? Or do you want me to call you Aaron?"

"My entire team is searching for you. They will find you. And you will spend the rest of your life in a prison cell where you belong."

"Ha, like I'm scared. Oh, Mr. Big and Scary Aaron Hotchner threatens to find me. But I'll be out of the city before you can even find out where I'm been over the past few months. And by the way, I know about your little near-death experience with the platform. But I didn't cause it because it was the wind."

"I'm going to put a bullet between your beady little eyes. But my team will get a piece of you before you die. I'll watch them beat the crap out of you."

"Hmm, very lovely. But you'll never catch me."

"We'll see. I've got a very skilled technical analyst that can find anything."

"I'll be gone, using methods to escape that are untraceable."

"We'll see about that."

~CriminalMinds~

After having a conversation about Ryan, Strauss told Hotch that Garcia had found the location of the poisoner. But, another case had come in: a man in Aurora, Nebraska, had been found with a missing arm. The killer was supposed to be a two-person team, a husband and wife, but supposedly, the wife wasn't guilty. Hotch told his boss that they would arrest the poisoner, bring him back to the station, and fly to Nebraska to talk to the police.

Within 15 minutes, the team reached the poisoner's home, where he was about to kill his own doctor with an LSD overdose.

"Set it down!" Morgan shouted, gun pointed right at the unsub.

The man set his killing agent aside, was arrested, and taken back to the BAU prison, where he would remain until he went on trial for fifteen counts of murder.

~CriminalMinds~

After the unsub was securely locked away in a holding cell, Hotch and the team headed off to the jet, which had just finished getting refueled. They had some clothes in their suitcases, but it would only last for a week. Hopefully, the case would be over soon.

The Unit Chief decided to visit his brother while he was in Nebraska. Sean had moved there after a great job opportunity had been offered.

He and his two younger cousins were all living together until the cousins could get a place of their own.

Sean lived in a house about two miles away from Aurora. What he didn't know was that his house would be ripped to shreds later that evening.

Aaron and the team arrived at the airport around four in the afternoon. The sky was somewhat sunny, but the clouds were telling a different story.

Hotch's instincts were telling him that the weather wasn't going to be pleasant that evening, and that they should be close to his brother's house.

Emily and Reid decided to go to the fast food restaurant just outside the airport and grab some dinner for the team. They had gotten reports from Strauss that severe thunderstorms were headed their way and that they shouldn't investigate the scene until tomorrow, when the storms would have dissipated.

~CriminalMinds~

It was five minutes until 9 that night, and Hotch saw how dark the sky was. It wasn't entirely black, but with his instincts and Reid's years of reading about the weather, Hotch gasped in horror as he noticed streaks of green in the sky.

The Unit Chief that a greenish-blackish sky meant danger was coming.

"Everyone, get in the car now!" he shouted. "We need to get to my brother's house and warn him! There's a tornado coming!"

The team knew how dangerous and deadly this type of weather could be. They had seen the stories on the news of what tornadoes could do to homes and people.

Rossi had pulled out his big video camera and got out of the car, prepared to film the scene beginning to unfold in front of them.

"Rossi, what are you doing? Get in the car!" Hotch shouted.

"I'm ok," the profiler replied. "I was a storm chaser for 15 years before joining the BAU."

He jumped back in the car, and Hotch immediately picked up the phone and dialed his brother.

"Hotch, is that you?" Sean's voice immediately responded.

"Yes, it's me! I'm coming towards your house, but a tornado's headed your way! Get to the basement now!"

"I'm on it!" he shouted.

Meanwhile, Sean shouted to his cousins to run to the basement, with him grabbing a flashlight and his cell phone, then running for his life.

~CriminalMinds~

Exactly four minutes later, a small funnel touched down in a field, but quickly grew in size. With Hotch holding the video camera and Rossi driving, the rest of team watched in horror as their teammate headed straight for the monster in front of them.

As if driving towards a monster tornado wasn't bad enough, Hotch looked at his phone and received a text from Ryan.

-I wouldn't do that if I were you. Don't believe anything that anyone says. Who knows if Rossi really was a storm chaser 30 years ago? You really want to die?-

Hotch was furious. He was sick of this creep talking to him.

-I believe him. I know when he'll turn away from it. You're more of a monster than this black thing in front of us that could possibly end our lives.-

-You're really going to compare me to a tornado? I thought you be more scared of weather than me.-

-How do you know where I am anyway? You got a mole among my team?-

-Now why would I do that? If you're so smart, Mr. Agent, profile them all. Break the rules. I wouldn't care.-

-You're just sick. I will end you.-

Rossi, his eyes sharp on the road, watched as a dog food building lost some of its roof from the twister. Within a few seconds, he watched in horror as the spinning air column headed straight for Sean's house.

"Hotch, it's hitting your brother's place!" the profiler shouted.

"No! Please tell me he took shelter in the basement!" Hotch replied. He was silently praying that his brother had obeyed him.

As Rossi followed the tornado around for about 15 minutes, he saw the damage that it had done. Trees were uprooted and snapped, several homes, including Sean's had been ripped to shreds, and two people died.

Once the storm dissipated, Hotch was running to his brother's destroyed home and saw Sean, holding his cousins, walking out of the basement without a scratch on them. They were extremely lucky to be alive. Sean thought that if his brother hadn't called him, then he would have died.

"Sean!" Hotch shouted, hugging his brother. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright, but I know my house isn't," the younger Hotchner replied. "I knew it was a bad idea to move here. I should have stayed in Quantico."

"No, that job was really important to you, Sean. I told you that if you wanted the job, then you could take it. You seemed really happy about it."

"Yea, but now my house is destroyed and I don't have the money to rebuild it."

"You can stay with me," Hotch said to him. "I'm sure that Jack will want to see you. You can stay as long as you want."

"Really? Thanks brother."

"You're welcome."


	29. Riding the Lightning,Unfinished Business

***'Amore Mio' means 'My love' in Italian.***

"What are we going to do about the scene?" Hotch asked as the team drove to the spot where the man's body had been found. The tornado had thrown pieces of debris all around the body, messing up the entire scene. Evidence was either destroyed or missing.

"Can we even investigate this?"

"I don't know, I'll call Strauss," Rossi replied. Once his wife picked up the phone, she sounded extremely worried.

"Dave! Are you alright? I heard about the storm!" she exclaimed.

"Calm down, honey, I'm alright. The team's fine, but Sean's house has been destroyed."

"I'm sorry, I was just really worried. I was scared that you had died."

"I chased the storm, but I think everyone else is a bit frightened. And Ryan seems to know that we're in Nebraska. I don't know how he's able to determine our location."

"I want him arrested and brought back to Quantico alive. I need to ask him a few questions."

"I'll make sure he is. Sorry, Amore Mio, I've got to go back to the scene. I'll see what we can do about it. Love you."

"Love you too."

~CriminalMinds~

Ryan, hidden behind several damaged cars, watched the team investigate. They had no idea what was coming.

He remembered breaking into the Gideon household and finding the pregnancy test in the bathroom trash can.

I guess she can have the kid this time, Ryan thought. She deserves to be happy. She wasn't really part of the whole thing. It's Gideon and Hotch that I need to be worried about. They're the ones that really need to pay for what they did to me. Gideon especially.

He pulled up his phone and checked in with his invisible camera/listening device. It was so small that it could easily slip by airport security undetected by the metal scans.

"Very interesting," he said to himself. "It's almost time. Just a little more time to watch and stalk him and nothing will ever be the same again."

Ryan imagined having Hotch in his hands, completely defenseless and unable to fight. Cruz was hiding somewhere in the city, wanting to be as far away from Quantico as he could get.

~CriminalMinds~

The Unit Chief looked around at the damage again and didn't find any evidence. The husband and wife serial killers would be executed any day, and the wife was claiming that she was innocent.

He had no idea what would happen to this case. And how exactly was Ryan knowing where they were at all times?

This creep was going to rot away in prison once he was caught. And Hotch would make sure that he would never get out.

~CriminalMinds~

Mysteriously, three weeks later, the team had arrested the person responsible for killing the man who was missing an arm was found hiding behind a dumpster. The wife was released, but not before being shot by her husband.

As the team walked back to the station with the killer in handcuffs, Ryan, Cruz, and their newest accomplice sat in a car. Cameras were quickly taking pictures, and the three men just sat back and relaxed.

"How much longer are you going to wait before you'll grab him?" Cruz asked.

"A little while longer," Ryan said, his fingers tapping impatiently on the dashboard. "I want to mess around for a bit longer before he's in my hands."

~CriminalMinds~

After the team returned to Quantico, the first thing Reid wanted to do was see JJ. She was due to start working tomorrow, and he had missed her greatly.

He drove home and found his beautiful fiancee lying on the couch, watching TV. She paused her show when she saw Reid walk through the doorway.

"Hi beautiful," he said, walking over to the couch and picking her up off of it. "Are you feeling ok?"

"Yes, I'm just excited to go back to work tomorrow," she replied. "I miss everyone. And I can't wait to talk to Emily again about her and Hotch. I tell her about you, Spence. Our relationship."

"Oh, please don't reveal the details about Emily and Hotch's relationship."

"Oh, come on, it's not weird. She justs me how great Hotch is. How much of a romantic he is. He even took her Tango dancing."

~CriminalMinds~

The next day, JJ was warmly welcomed back and given a new case. College students in New Mexico had been tortured, then killed. Also, Hotch told the team that Ryan had published a book about a new development in a case he solved eighteen years ago. The creep was still out in the world, hiding, obviously waiting for something. The team was taking extra precautions and making sure there was security outside Hotch's house twenty-four seven in case Ryan decided to break in.

Hotch's instincts were also telling to stick close to someone. He felt like he was being watched, but he never saw anyone. He would always think it was his imagination tricking him.

While Hotch was investigating the case, his phone rang. It was Haley calling.

"Yes, Haley, what do you want?" he said.

"I want full custody of Jack," she replied. "FULL."

"No way, not after you betrayed me and ran off with Will. I'm sure you're happily married to him. You are in no way getting any custody of my son."

"He's our son, Aaron! He deserves to see his mother!"

"No, he doesn't! Do you remember the trial? The judge gave you no rights to see him. The house, money, car, and Jack are all in my custody. You get half the money. But nothing else belongs to you."

Haley groaned in frustration. "I'm still in love with you, Aaron. Would you ever take me back?"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT! You cheated on me! My love for you was done the moment you told me of your affair. I'm in love with someone else."

"I knew it! I knew you were cheating on me with JJ! I was right all along!"

"I'm not with JJ! It's someone else. You have no idea how much I love her. I love her more than you could imagine. Goodbye, Haley."

He hung up the phone, angry at his ex-wife. How dare she try and take away Jack!


	30. Somebody's Watching

***A/N: There will be two small references to the episodes, "The Tribe" and "A Real Rain."***

Two months after closing the New Mexico college student case and their latest case, which was murders committed by a vigilante, the team was now traveling to LA to investigate the stalking of a Hollywood actress named Lila Archer. What Reid didn't know was that once he saw Lila, she would become immediately attracted to him.

She came to the police station a couple of days later to talk to Reid about a possible suspect who might have stalked her. They were acquaintances, and Lila really wanted to ask him out on a date, knowing that he was already engaged to his co-worker.

"Hey Spencer," she said, noticing that the blond woman was not around.

"Hey Lila," he replied, looking through his case file.

"I came to talk about a possible suspect in the case, but I just wanted to talk to you alone. Do you have any plans this weekend?"

"Hm, probably on Saturday, I'm going to sort through old cases."

"I'm going to see a Calculus Seminar on Sunday."

"Oh, that one? It sounds really great."

"If you want, you can come with me."

"I would love to, but I'm supposed to hang out with Jennifer that day."

"You could bring her," Lila said, a little disappointed.

"Yea, but she's not really interested into that kind of math."

"Well, maybe another time I can tell you about the seminar. Maybe over dinner or something," Lila replied, successfully hitting on Reid without him noticing.

Reid became startled and dropped his case file on the floor.

"I'll talk to you later, Lila. I think you should tell my boss about the possible suspect."

He left the room and headed out to the station's bullpen, where Morgan was talking to Garcia over the computer.

~CriminalMinds~

The next day at lunch, Rossi and Morgan were already sitting in a conference room, eating lunch when Reid walked in.

Once the genius sat down, he said, "Something weird happened to me yesterday, and I need your advice."

Rossi sat down the salad he had been eating. "What happened?"

"Our victim Lila asked me out on a date, and I don't know what to do. It's weird."

The other profilers noticed that Reid was smiling as he spoke.

"Oh my gosh, you're loving it!" Morgan exclaimed.

"To my core!" Reid replied. His smile started to fade a bit. "Of course I'm not going to join Lila; I'm engaged to JJ and am more in love with her every day."

Hotch walked into the conference room, carrying his lunch of a turkey and cheese sandwich with an apple and a bag of carrots and celery.

"What are we talking about over lunch today?" the Unit Chief asked as he pulled out his sandwich.

"Lila's totally hitting on Reid and he's loving it," Rossi replied.

"Well, that's not acceptable."

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch needed to tell JJ what was going on, but it wasn't really his business to get involved in his subordinates' personal lives. But he needed JJ to be aware of the situation when she saw Lila tomorrow.

"Jennifer, may I see you in the conference room alone please?" he asked in front of his entire team.

Their eyes fell onto her, as she swallowed hard and followed her boss away from the bullpen.

The door was closed, and JJ felt slightly scared. What could Hotch have to say to her that needed a closed door?

"You're not in trouble or anything. I just need to speak to you about an urgent matter regarding Reid," Hotch said.

"Reid? What did he do?" she asked.

"He didn't do anything, but he has been the victim of flirtation from a woman other than you. From our stalking victim Lila."

"Lila's hitting on my fiance?"

"The problem is, Reid's loving the fact that another woman is hitting on him."

JJ couldn't believe what Hotch was telling her.

"So, basically, you're saying that Reid's cheating on me with Lila?"

"No, but it's a possibility."

JJ felt the tears coming. She couldn't believe that she would get cheated on for the second time. First Will and now Reid.

~CriminalMinds~

Once the team arrived at their hotel rooms, JJ was heading up the stairs and saw Reid coming out of the room he shared with Hotch.

"Hey Beautiful," Reid said, holding a basket of laundry along with detergent.

"Hm, you seem really happy today," JJ replied, a somewhat-fake smile on her face. "Anything in particular?"

"Nothing much. Morgan was snoring in the car on the way to the station this morning, so I got to listen to the radio without interruptions."

JJ was still waiting for Reid to say, "I'm now dating Lila and have broken off the wedding with you."

She tried questioning him again.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"Um, I found a game called Minecraft while I waited for dinner to cook. I started playing it, and it's a pretty awesome game," Reid replied.

"Seems like you had a really great day," JJ said, continuing to fake-smile, then turning around and began walking to her room, which was just down the hall from her fiance's.

"The one thing that will make it better is an evening with my special woman."

JJ decided that now was the time to confront him. "Oh, and who is your special woman exactly?"

Reid looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I just was wondering who your special woman was. Do you mean your fiancee or Lila Archer, the stalking victim?"

"Why would I mean Lila?"

"Because I know that Lila hit on you and you liked it!" JJ shouted, attracting attention from Hotch, who was eating his bowl of pasta.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't play stupid with me, Spencer Reid," she snapped, opening her door and slamming it in his face.

Reid looked surprised. How could JJ found out about Lila? The only explanation was that someone had told her.

"Hotch, did you mention something to Jennifer about Lila?" Spencer asked once he walked back into his hotel room.

"I needed to, Reid, I'm her boss," Hotch replied.

"She hates me now! I love JJ, and now she thinks I hurt her! Why did you have to tell her?!"

Reid stormed out of his room and went down the hall to Morgan's room.


	31. Machismo

***A/N: I will post two chapters today. Chapter 33 will be posted on Saturday. Sorry for any grammar errors I have made on previous chapters.***

The next morning, Reid awoke early and headed back to his room, finding Hotch still asleep on the couch. The genius needed to apologize to his boss once he woke up. Reid needed to tell JJ the truth that nothing was ever going to happen between him and Lila.

He walked down to her room and heard her waking up, so he knocked on the door.

JJ opened the door and was surprised to see Reid standing outside. She was about to speak when he cut her off with a kiss.

"You are too important to me, JJ," he said. "I can't lose you. I love you so much."

"But you had another woman hit on you and you liked it!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry that you had to hear about the whole conversation. I was going to tell you about Lila, but I couldn't find a chance to. Nothing happened between me and her, and nothing will ever happen. I'm dedicated to you and you only JJ. I want to get married and have a family with you. But I'll wait until you ready for the wedding."

"I'm thinking that in a month we should get married. I want to wrap up this case, and then spend some time planning for the big day. I've been dreaming of this day since I was a little girl. I never thought I would get another chance to have the perfect day. I knew that marrying Will was a big mistake."

Reid took his fiancée into his arms and hugged her.

"Thank you for understanding," he said.

"I couldn't stay mad at you Spence, I love you too much to break the engagement off."

~CriminalMinds~

Lila's stalker turned out to be her best friend Maggie. The actress tried to ask Reid out again, but he caught on to her little stunt right away.

"Lila, I'm not interested in going out with you. I am engaged to the woman of my dreams and I'm not going to leave her. She's more important to me than my own life. I'm sorry Lila, but I'm not breaking up our relationship," Reid said confidently, his arm around JJ's waist.

The actress stormed off, upset. She wouldn't stop until she got what she wanted. She would get Reid no matter how long it took.

~CriminalMinds~

The next case involved fifteen women murdered over a course of twenty years. When the team came upon the killer two weeks later, he was already dead, next to his recently-dug grave.

JJ and Reid were spending whatever time they had outside of work to plan for their wedding.

~CriminalMinds~

Haley sat next to her lover in the backseat of his government-issued vehicle.

"Baby, I'm just going to be married to Will a bit longer. But when we divorce, we'll get married, just like you always wanted. I don't know why I fell in love with Aaron, but I just did," she said to Cruz. He had offered her a job to stalk her ex-husband and have him delivered to Ryan in exchange for full custody of Jack. There had been a lot of money offered, more than a hundred grand.

"You know I could never turn down a big money offer from you," Haley continued. She has joined the team back in Aurora, and had been following Hotch around the city, and had found out who his new girlfriend was.

As the couple sat in the car, they noticed Emily walking with Hotch out of the BAU, holding hands. Haley could see how happy her ex was with the brunette.

"That woman is just nuts if she thinks she can steal my man away," the blond muttered, wanting to eliminate Emily altogether. But it wasn't part of Ryan's plan to get Hotch. Emily was just an irrelevant person in the trap currently being planned out and tested. Ryan wanted to make sure that no one would be able to escape from the deadly trap. One part of the plan was confirmed to have worked: forcing Hotch to comply using The Seattle Strangler's old brainwashing/mind-control machine. It was still in perfect condition, and once Hotch had forcefully complied, he would have no memory of Emily or his team. Hotch would ordered to eliminate them all.

Ryan entered the vehicle, divorce papers in his hands.

"For you," he said, handing them to Haley.

"Thank you Boss," she replied. "So, how is the plan coming along?"

"I'm going to be headed over to Vogel's house since he gave me a key, and then Cruz and I will grab the machine and bring it back to our house. The plan is coming together just as I've been hoping it would."

"Excellent job, Boss. I cannot wait to deliver my ex-husband over to you. I'm curious to know what you'll do to him once he's in your hands."

"You don't want to know. I've got a lot of things planned for Mr. Hotchner. His team will have to look extremely hard in order to find him. I must get in touch with Mr. Foyet. I'm sure he'll have something in mind for his nemesis."

~CriminalMinds~

Fifteen minutes later, once Emily was inside the BAU again, she saw another agent walking over to her. She recognized him as her workplace bully.

"What do you want, Martin?" she snapped. She knew that Hotch was on the other side of the floor, but once he heard her yell loud enough, he would come over and investigate.

"You break the rules more than you know it," the agent replied. "You're just screwing around with your boss in order to get a raise."

"I am not screwing around with anyone! I'm in love with him, and he feels the same way about me. Ask him yourself!"

"Is Strauss aware of what you're doing?"

"Yes, she's aware, and yes, she approved of it! Leave me alone, or I will have Hotch make sure your badge is taken away. Hotch!"

He was over to the area right away. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Martin's bothering me again," she replied. "I told him to stop, but he won't."

"Leave her alone," Hotch glared at Martin. "Or I will have your badge suspended. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Martin replied, grabbing his case file and running away.

~CriminalMinds~

Strauss was sitting in her office, sorting through papers, when she suddenly began to feel dizzy. The peanut-butter sandwich she had for a snack was now feeling like she had eaten spoiled meat.

Rossi had walked into her office, but she immediately put her hand over her mouth and bolted to the bathroom, almost knocking JJ over.

The older profiler looked slightly concerned.

"JJ, has Erin been like this all day?" he asked.

"Um, I don't think so. She was fine when she came to work this morning and when she was eating her snack an hour ago. She looked perfectly healthy," the blond replied.

"Can you check on her?"

JJ nodded, then walked into the bathroom and heard Erin groaning in relief.

"Chief Strauss, are you ok? Rossi's a little concerned," the profiler said.

"Yea, I just think that bread I used for my sandwich was moldy or something. I should be fine."


	32. The Parking Space War: Hotch vs Reid

***A/N: Small references throughout the chapter to the episode 'Charm and Harm.'***

The next day at lunch, Reid, Morgan, and Rossi were sitting in the conference room, discussing the latest case, the upcoming wedding in 12 days, and whether zombies or vampires were the same thing.

"They are most definitely not the same," Rossi said.

"Yes they are," Morgan argued back.

"It's impossible, they don't even look the same."

"Well, for vampires, it's a fashion choice. It doesn't matter what they wear as long as they have a cape."

"Alright then. Reid."

"If you get bitten by a vampire, then you turn into one. But, if you get bitten by a zombie, you not only become a zombie, but it wants your brain, unlike vampires, which want blood. You, Agent Morgan, have been beaten two to one."

Rossi smiled, then gave the genius half of his cookie.

Hotch walked in, carrying his lunch of vegetable soup, Saltine crackers, and several slices of cheese.

"What's going on today?" he asked, sitting down at his spot.

"Morgan still on the zombies and vampires thing," Rossi said, right before he took a bite of his chicken salad.

"Morgan, they are not the same thing!" Hotch replied.

The profiler tried to respond, but couldn't come up with a good comeback.

Rossi also gave Hotch the other half of his cookie. The Unit Chief took it, but pulled out a set of car keys.

"I got a new Mercedes this morning," he said, setting the keys down on the table.

"Congrats, does it have that wonderful new car smell?" Morgan asked.

"Yes it does, and I want to keep it that way for as long as I can. If you guys want to see it, it's parked in the spot closest to the front door. The one with the Japanese Cherry Blossom tree."

"I"m sorry?" Reid piped up. He was enjoying his meal, but stopped once he heard where Hotch's new car was parked. "The Cherry Blossom tree?"

"Yes?" Hotch asked.

"That's my spot," Reid responded. "That's where my car and only my car goes."

"You don't have a car, so why do you have a spot?" Morgan asked.

"That doesn't matter, but it's still my spot. I know how to drive, but I haven't bought a car yet."

"Reid, once you get a car, I'm sure the BAU will give you another spot. Ask Strauss; she can give you one right now if you want."

"I want my parking space, not anyone else's. The spot is so perfect. That tree provides so much shade, and that's especially good on hot days like this one. It also has a short walking distance. You know that I hate walking outside of the job."

"Nice story, Reid, but in the end, you still don't have a car!"

"Hotch, don't change the subject. We're talking about a parking spot, not about me getting a new car. Now, get your car out of my spot! It's mine!"

"Nope."

Reid looked slightly upset. "Fine, you leave me no choice."  
While Hotch left to meet Emily in the break room, Reid headed out to the parking lot and used whatever strength he had to push Hotch's car out of the spot.

~CriminalMinds~

When Reid got back to his house that night, he found JJ sitting at the desk, doing something on her computer. He picked up the phone and dialed Strauss.

"Chief Strauss, I know that I've never used that spot, but that isn't the point I'm trying to say. I-"

Erin interrupted him.

"Yes, Erin, I'm aware that you told me not to call you at this time, but I know you were at home. Your lights were on and I saw you sitting on your couch watching TV!"

Erin ended up saying a couple swear words, which shocked Reid.

"What kind of language is that? You're the boss of the best profiling team in the country, not the swear-word club. You know what? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked to you that way. I'll send you an apology email in 20 minutes."

~CriminalMinds~

At eight AM the next morning, the team was working on a case in their area, and were allowed to stay at the BAU and work on the case.

Reid had been given his own office, which was next door to Gideon's. The older profiler and Elle were on vacation in Denver for three weeks, and they would be returning two days before the wedding.

Hotch had walked into his office and found his Glock 26 lying on his desk, but his Glock 17 was missing.

Darn it, where's my gun? the Unit Chief thought. I know I left it in my desk drawer last night, locked. Someone must have broken in and taken it.

The first person that came to his mind was Reid. The Unit Chief needed to find him.

"Where's Reid?" Hotch shouted to his team in the bullpen.

"Shooting range. By the way, Reid took one of your guns," Morgan replied, then going back to the case file he was reading.

As Hotch headed down to the fifth floor, he received a text from Ryan. It had been a while since the stalker had sent him a message.

-You still can't figure out where I am? Wow, I guess you're not the great profiler everyone thinks you are. By the way, your ex-wife is now best friends with me. Try and find her, and your son will find himself in a situation he can't get out of.-

Hotch was scared. He could let anything happen to Jack. But the profiler ignored the text and continued on his way to the shooting range.

Without knocking, Hotch opened the door and had his hands clenched into fists.

"Give it back," the Unit Chief snapped.

"I'm sorry," Reid said, taking off the protective ear and eyewear. "What are you talking about? Please be more specific."

"My Glock 17. Morgan saw you break into my desk and take it, now give it back."

"Oh, that. Here's the thing, Hotch, I wanted that gun. And you weren't using it."

Hotch realized that his own words were being twisted back at him.

"Apparently, I guess we live by new rules now."

Hotch was looking slightly angry, but Reid just kept his temper at a normal level.

"Payback. It truly hurts, doesn't it?"

The Unit Chief tried to reason with his subordinate.

"Reid, that's a two-hundred dollar gun, and I want it back," Hotch said.

"Well, I would really love to help you out, Hotch, but right now, I'm using it. So, you might want to cover your ears."

Hotch saw Reid pick up the Glock 17 and prepared to fire a shot.

After Aaron covered his ears, Reid fired off two bullets, getting perfect bulls-eyes.

"Fine," Hotch said. "I'm taking your Doctor Who Season 8 box."

"Go ahead, it's the only signed edition you'll ever get!"

~CriminalMinds~

The guys were meeting back at Reid's house for drinks and popcorn. Rossi and Morgan were having another discussion about zombies while Reid unlocked the door.

One he stepped inside, he saw Hotch sitting on the couch, eating a bowl of popcorn, and looking through all of Reid's embarrassing photos.

"Hi Reid," Hotch said, waving and smiling.

Spencer screamed, then pointed at the couch and turned to face Morgan.

"He's looking at my bad photos! Morgan, make him stop looking at my pictures!"

Derek let out a little laugh and smiled. "Hotch, what are you doing?"

"Reid wasn't using his computer," the Unit Chief replied. "I needed something to look at while I relaxed on this couch."

"Get off my couch!" Reid demanded.

"Give my back my gun."

"Give me back my spot."

"You don't need a spot because you don't have a car."

"You don't need two guns; you're not The Terminator!"

"Well, I thought you'd be more concerned about the fact that I've been downloading the funniest of your embarrassing photos to my phone so I can look at them while I work."

~CriminalMinds~

However, Reid and Hotch's fight was also affecting their significant other's lives. JJ and Emily were now fighting with Garcia stuck in the middle. The case was almost halfway solved, but this fight needed to end.

That night, after more than enough evidence was found to create a suspect profile, Garcia decided to spend some time with Emily. The brunette was starting to have some trouble coping with her mother's assassination.

The two women were looking through old photos of Emily and her mother, when there was a knock on the door. The brunette headed into the kitchen to refill both mugs of apple cider, while Garcia answered the door.

"Ooh, it looks like someone decided to be on Team Emily!" JJ said, stepping into the house. "Where's Hotch?"

"He's not here; he's with Jack," Emily replied. "What's going on?"

"He had my car towed, and it cost a hundred bucks to get it back!"

A few hours ago, Reid was still angry at Hotch for claiming the parking spot, so the genius had JJ park her car in the spot, leaving the emergency brake on. He knew that cars were difficult to push once the backup brake was on.

"Oh no," Emily replied, a trace of fakeness in her voice. She didn't sound so innocent. Even Garcia picked up on the new tone.

"Where was your car located?" Emily continued.

JJ glared at her best friend. "In Reid's spot, of course. Where else would I park it?"

"That's strange, because if I remember correctly, Reid doesn't have a parking spot. Was your car parked in Hotch's spot, perhaps?"

"Don't be stupid with me, Prentiss, you tell your boyfriend he owes me a hundred bucks!"

"That sounds ridiculous as well."

JJ looked confused. "And why is that?"

Emily, with confidence and a slight trace of venom in her tone said, "Because I was the one who had your car towed."

Garcia looked surprised and JJ just wanted to punch the brunette in the face.

"You-" the blond began.

"You didn't see that one coming, did you now?" Emily snapped.

"Yea, and you won't see this one either!" JJ responded, swinging her purse.

It missed Emily because she ducked and instead hit Garcia in the face, who screamed and clutched her nose.

"Ouch! What is in that thing?" the analyst asked.

"My wallet, keys, and a glass jar of quarters I've been meaning to drop off at the bank for the past week," JJ said.

"I'll get some ice for your face," Emily responded, running over to her freezer.

She came back with a bag of frozen peas, then gave it to Garcia.

"You think this has gotten out of hand, don't you?" Emily snapped at JJ.

"Ya think?!" Garcia said, but it was muffled by the bag.

"I agree 100 percent. Penelope, Emily and I are sorry for what happened," the blond replied.

Emily immediately became defensive. "Hey, you hit Garcia in the face with a glass jar full of quarters, what did I do?"

"You towed my car and I had to spend a hundred dollars to get it back!"

"You were parked in Hotch's spot!"

"That spot is Reid's!"

"Reid doesn't and never had a spot!"

"Guys," Garcia said, interrupting them. "I think I need to go to the ER."

"I'll drive," JJ offered. "Then you can see where my car got scratched up."

"The tow truck did nothing to your car," Emily snapped.

"How would you know that?"

"Because I did it!"

~CriminalMinds~

After Garcia was told that her nose was sprained, she still was going back to work. Morgan had found who the killer was, and wanted to tell her the news.

When he saw her wearing a bandage across her nose, he became suspicious.

"BabyGirl, what happened to you?" he asked.

"JJ accidently hit me in the face with her purse. There was a glass jar of quarters inside, but luckily, my nose is only sprained, not broken."

~CriminalMinds~

The next morning, before Hotch arrived at work, Reid had set up a whiteboard full of pictures of the victims and suspects. The genius was making sure that he would get his spot back.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Hotch shouted, leaning out the car window.

"You told me that I wasn't using my spot, so now I'm using it," Reid replied, sitting down in the chair.

"You need to move."

"Nope, I don't have to."

"You can't stay there forever."

"Actually, I can. This plastic bag tied to my leg says I can. Give up, Hotch, I've won this war. There is nothing you could do to-"

Hotch, angry, hit the car horn, which caused Reid to put on a pair of headphones, drowning out the noise.

"You know those won't help you Spencer!" Hotch snapped.

"Oh yes they will. I mean, what?"

The yelling attracted Rossi's attention, who had just come out of the building, carrying his daily breakfast coffee.

"You guys are acting like idiots! What are you doing?"

"Hotch is trying to kill me, Rossi. All those days at the shooting range have sparked this violence," Reid replied.

"Will you speak some sense into this idiot?" Hotch snapped.

"Both of you are acting like idiots; it's just a parking spot! You don't need to fight over something that simple!" Rossi shot back.

"It's not just a parking spot! He can't seem to grasp the fact that I'm higher up in ranking."

"What I don't get is why you would try and run him over!"

~CriminalMinds~

After work that day, Reid walked into Hotch's office and asked to speak to him alone.

"Hotch, I'm sorry about the whole parking-space thing," Spencer said. "I don't want us to fight. I'm sorry I got defensive over a parking spot. I decided that until I get a car, you can use my spot and I'll get another one from Strauss."

Hotch shook hands with him. "I'm sorry too. Can we forget that this whole thing ever happened?"

"Yea, I think that's a good idea."


	33. Secrets and Lies, TFK, Part 1

***A/N: TFK means 'The Fisher King' (in the chapter title.)***

JJ and the team had located their unsub, who had begun to lead them into a train station. The blond, gun pointed in front of her, was chasing after him, dodging through dozens of people.

But when JJ had finally caught up to the man, he had already taken shelter on a train, which was headed out of the country to Canada.

"Hotch, he's going to be out of the country if we don't do something," she said once she approached the team. "We need to set up roadblocks underground and make sure he doesn't get away."

~CriminalMinds~

With another case wrapped up involving a mole in the CIA, the unsub from the previous was shot and killed by Ryan, who had left a note at the crime scene, saying, "You're lucky I saved your life. Maybe next time, if there is even a next time, you won't be so lucky."

It had been 11 days since Hotch and Reid's 'Parking Space War,' and today was the day of the Jareau-Reid wedding.

Gideon and Elle had returned two days ago from their vacation to Denver. They were going to the OBGYN's office to find out how their baby was doing.

Jennifer and Reid had spent the night apart, and before they separated until the wedding, he kissed her and said, "I'll see you at the altar."

At her bachelorette party last night, she could see that Erin was still looking pale and had thrown up her dinner.

"Chief Strauss, I think you should stay at home and get better," the profiler said. "You look very pale."

Erin was dropped off at home, where she immediately bolted for the bathroom.

~CriminalMinds~

Five minutes before the wedding was supposed to begin, Erin rested her head on Rossi's shoulder. She had some news to tell him. Exciting news.

"Rossi…" she began. "I found out why I've been so sick lately. And it should lessen up overtime."

"What was going on?"

"We're having a baby."

It took him a minute to process what she was saying, but once the words sunk in, she saw how happy he was.

He gave her a kiss, then whispered in her ear, "We'll celebrate this back at home."

"I can't wait," she replied.

The music began to play, and Elle walked in first, being that she was the maid of honor. After she took her place next to Emily and Erin, the three women saw JJ walk through, carrying a bouquet of white orchid flowers. Her father had died in a car accident when she was 17, so she was going to have to walk down the aisle alone.

When Reid saw his wife-to-be, he just stared at her in awe. She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. His first and only love. He had fallen in love with her while she was still married to Will. They didn't start their relationship until she was single again.

It didn't take long for JJ and Reid to say their vows, their 'I Do's', and give each other the ring and band.

"Reid, you may kiss the bride," the pastor said, closing the Bible.

The genius pulled his wife into his arms and kissed her longingly. Once they pulled apart, JJ threw her bouquet behind her and immediately Garcia and Emily dove for it, with the analyst grabbing it first.

"Everyone to the dance floor!" Reid shouted, pulling his bride along with him.

The DJ immediately started the music with the song 'Space Jam'.

After about a minute, at the beginning of the chorus, Emily began to shuffle, which was something that no one else on the team could do.

_Everybody get up, it's time to slam now_

_We got a real jam goin' down_

_Welcome to the Space Jam_

_Here's your chance, do your dance at the Space Jam, alright_

_Wave your hands in the air if you feel fine_

_We're gonna take it into overtime_

_Welcome to the Space Jam_

_Here's your chance, do your dance at the Space Jam, alright_

JJ and Reid began pulling out some salsa moves, even though it was the wrong genre of music, but everyone started applauding for them.

~CriminalMinds~

Within three days of the Jareau-Reid wedding, the rest of the team was being pulled into the deadly case of a serial killer known as The Fisher King. The team was so close to figuring out who the killer was, but when Anderson decided to take Elle home, he unknowingly dropped her instead of staying with her. She waved goodbye to Anderson, then was suddenly grabbed from behind. On the living room floor of her house, The Fisher King pulled out a gun. He dialed Gideon, who answered immediately.

"This is Agent Gideon," the profiler said.

"You disobeyed my rules," the unsub snapped. "So now, you pay the price."

Gideon heard the sound of a gunshot, then gasped in horror once he realized that Elle wasn't at the BAU.

"Your wife's been shot. I think she'll make it, but with some very serious injuries."

The Fisher King said the address, then ended the call.

The team grabbed their guns and immediately were on their way to the Gideon household. When Jason arrived at his house and kicked the front door open, he found Elle lying on the hardwood floor, crying in pain, and unable to move. Hotch and Morgan had gone around the back of the house to find the unsub gone.

Inside, Elle tried to stand up, but found out that she couldn't.

"Jason," she said. "I can't get up."

He and three paramedics lifted her up off the ground and got her onto a stretcher.

~CriminalMinds~

"Family of Elle Gideon?" the doctor called out two hours later. The team stood up and Gideon was the first person to react.

"I'm her husband," he said.

"I've got some good and bad news. The good news is that she had a successful surgery and they got the bullet out. The bad news is we're still running some tests to make sure she's ok. Is your wife pregnant?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, but the only way we could save your wife was by putting her under a general anesthetic. We don't know whether the baby survived or not."

Meanwhile, in Elle's room, she was just regaining consciousness from being under the anesthesia. But there was a major problem: the lower half of her body was feeling numb. It was like the medicine still hadn't worn off.

"Something's wrong," she said to herself. "Why am I feeling so numb?"

The doctor came into the room, a sad look on his face.

Elle felt her face pale as the doctor told her the news. She saw the balloons and flowers around the room and just wanted them to go away. She was never going to get better. How was she supposed to tell her husband?


	34. The Fisher King, Part 2

Foyet was sitting on his comfortable couch, carefully running his fingers along with his weapon of choice: a .44 Magnum S&amp;W 629.

He had killed 36 people in his lifetime. Hotch was number one on his 'wanted dead' list. Foyet had hated the man for years. The criminal saw that his phone was ringing, and that it was from an unknown number.

"Yes?" Foyet asked.

"Mr. Foyet, how are you today? My name is Max Ryan, and I'm a criminal working on a plan to take down the BAU one by one," the voice said.

"Go on…"

"I've been stalking Aaron for the past six to seven months, and I was able to kidnap him once, but not before he escaped and got one of my partners arrested."

"This sounds very interesting, I'm thinking about it."

"I'm offering you a chance to get revenge on the one person you absolutely hate. My two partners are Hotch's ex-wife Haley and her lover, Mateo Cruz. We're coming up with a plan to hopefully make Jason Gideon suffer for removing me from the BAU. Haley gets full custody of her son and more than a hundred grand just for working for me. I'll give you 50 grand."

"I'll take the offer," Foyet said, smiling sadistically. "When shall we meet?"

"Tomorrow, the main coffee shop Downtown, 12:30. I look forward to discussing more with you, Mr. Foyet."

The call ended, and Foyet continued to smile. Everything was coming together just perfectly. Revenge would be so sweet.

~CriminalMinds~

Elle looked at her doctor and felt the tears running down her face.

"I'm so sorry," the doctor said. "We were able to get the bullet out, but not before it hit your spinal cord. It was severed at L2, one of the main nerves that controls leg function. Unfortunately, because of the severe damage to this nerve, you will never be able to walk again."

Elle continued to cry. She didn't know how she was going to cope with this serious of an injury.

She immediately asked for her husband to come into the room. He entered and tried to kiss her, but she cried out in pain when she tried to sit up.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Jason...I'm paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of my life."

~CriminalMinds~

While Elle was in the hospital recovering, the rest of the team was on the hunt for The Fisher King. They would do whatever it took to find the man and have him arrested.

But once they discovered where he was, he already had a bomb vest strapped to his torso and pressed the button, ending his life.

Two days after The Fisher King's death, the team was going to listen to Rossi give a presentation about profiling to a group of college students.

Everyone thought he spoke well, except for one man sitting in the back.

"Any questions?" Rossi asked once he had finished speaking.

While the audience clapped, a voice said, "Yes, I have one. What was that?"

Rossi saw the figure in glasses and a hat. "Any other questions?"

"Dr. Spencer Reid," the figure said, standing up. "I'm the author of this presentation."

However, the audience didn't give him a reaction.

"You Sir," Reid continued, pointing at Rossi. "You have completely skipped over the part about you, Gideon, and Max Ryan starting the BAU back in 1976."

"I didn't skip it; I just figured that it wasn't an important detail. I would say when it started of course," Rossi replied.

Hotch pulled out his phone and began recording the scene in front of him.

"Oh, I get it," Reid shot back. "Was it that the case you first started with involved a missing girl? Is that something you want to skip?"

"You are not Section Chief!"

"No, I'm not, but I think I still would have found out about the case anyway."

"You seriously cannot be that audacious."

"You really underestimate me."

"Guess what, if you thought I would screw up this presentation, then maybe you should have done it with me!"

"As I have said before, I don't need affirmation."

"Oh really, so, why'd you come watch me then?"

"Because I knew you would mess it up."

"I did not screw up my presentation!"

"I admit that gun joke you said at the beginning was funny. But it all went downhill from there."

Rossi was ticked off. "Alright! I've had enough of your patronizing attitude! Maybe I didn't graduate high school when I was 12 like you. And I'm not the only person in this room who suffered from low self esteem. No offense."

"So you admit to me that you needed help?"

"Yes!"

He turned to the audience. "My name is Dave Rossi and I always suffered from anxiety. But he's worse!"

As Rossi pointed at Spencer, the genius became enraged.

"Okay, that's it!" Reid said, pretending to destroy Rossi's brain.

"You cannot destroy my mind with yours!" Dave snapped.

"I'll settle for a stroke!"

Rossi hit Reid on the arms, knocking them down.

"Ouch! He hit me. You saw him; he hit me!" Reid exclaimed angrily.

"You were trying to destroy my brain!"

"So it was working, wasn't it?"

"It wasn't! You're an idiot!"

"Oh, we'll try that again," Reid said, putting two fingers to both sides of his head, which was supposed to be him pretending to destroy Rossi's brain.

"Stop! Stop it! Quit it!" Rossi snapped, knocking Reid's arms down.

~CriminalMinds~

Three days later, Elle was finally released from the hospital. It was still hard to grasp the fact that she would never be able to walk or run again.

After she was disconnected from the machines, Gideon lifted her up off the bed and into her wheelchair. The team still didn't know what Elle's diagnosis was because Jason had asked the doctor not to say anything.

The team arrived at the hospital and gasped in horror at the sight of their friend.

"Jason, is Elle alright?" Hotch asked.

"No," Gideon replied. "She's paralyzed from the waist down."


	35. Taken

The team huddled around Elle, telling her how bad they felt for her. She began to cry, jealous for her co-workers. They could walk, skip, and run, but she couldn't. Not anymore. She was too young to have lost her ability to walk. Gideon had decided to hire a nurse to take care of Elle while he went to work.

~CriminalMinds~

"It's time," Ryan said. "It's time to put our plan into action. Haley, do you know what you're doing?"

"Yes boss," she replied. "I'll grab Jack and lead my ex-husband right into your hands."

"And Foyet, you got your part down?"

"Absolutely," the killer responded. "I wouldn't want to miss this very special moment."

"Cruz is going stay behind at the house and make sure the machine is working," Ryan continued. "Hotch should be arriving at home any minute now, so it will be a good time to get him. Are we all ready?"

"Yes boss," the other three members said. "We will make sure he doesn't get away this time."

"What about Erin?" Cruz asked. "Since she's also got some very interesting secrets from her past."

"She isn't a part of the plan," Ryan replied. "It's Gideon that needs to suffer the most. He's the one that ruined my life. Erin's fine. Maybe I'll get in touch with her friend The Replicator and see if he wants anything to do with her. I'm sure he does. He hates her."

"Sounds like a good idea," Foyet replied. "I'm ready."

He, Ryan, and Haley got into the car and drove off to the Hotchner household, while Cruz made sure the brainwashing machine was turned on and running.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch arrived at home within ten minutes, but when he entered, he saw that the house was silent. Jack and Emily were nowhere to be seen.

"Jack? Em?" the Unit Chief asked.

"Aaron, help!" Emily cried from upstairs.

"I'm coming!" he replied. Pulling out his gun, he quickly but quietly headed into the master bedroom and found Emily, tied up with a cloth tied around her mouth.

"Em! Are you alright?" he asked, running over to her.

She was trying to say, 'BEHIND YOU!' but it was too late. Haley touched the back of his head with her own gun.

"Put the gun down or Jack and your little girlfriend both die," Haley threatened.

Hotch was astounded. His ex-wife was working for the man who was stalking him?

The Unit Chief set his gun down on the ground. Haley walked in front of him, taking away his second weapon.

"You have no idea how long Ryan's been waiting to see you," she said. "His partner offered me a lot of money and full custody of Jack if I agreed. Of course I get to see our son. Right, Jack? Don't you want to spend time with Mommy?"

"No," the boy said. "You hurt Daddy. I want him."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Jackers. I thought you would want to be with the one parent you never see anymore."

"You can't call me Jackers! Only Aunt Penny can call me that! Not you!"

"Aunt Penny? Who's Aunt Penny?"

"It's Garcia," Hotch spoke up.

"Shut up!" Haley snapped at her ex. "You don't get to talk."

"You want to shoot me, Haley? Go right ahead. But I don't think you want to. You have something else planned for me. Something more important than killing me."

"I can't kill you, even though I want to. Ryan has a much bigger plan for what he's going to do to you. And trust me, you don't want to know what he had planned for you."

"You'll never get full custody of Jack. Ever. I made sure of it at our divorce trial. You don't deserve to see him, not after how you tore this family apart."

"We'll see about that. But now, it's time for part two of the plan. Say goodbye to your little girlfriend since you'll never see her again."

Before Hotch even had a chance to say an, 'I love you,' to Emily, Ryan snuck up behind him and clamped a cloth soaked in chloroform over his mouth.

Hotch tried to fight back. He wasn't going to let Ryan win. That creep was going to prison without any chance of parole.

The chloroform took effect and the Unit Chief fell unconscious in Ryan's arms.

"Get him out of here," Haley said to her boss. Foyet entered the room and helped Max carry Hotch out of the room and out to the car. The Unit Chief was handcuffed and gagged, then locked in the trunk. Haley grabbed Jack and made sure the seat-belt was locked in place. She left Emily tied up, taking the two guns with her.

~CriminalMinds~

Rossi was on a small forklift, working on fixing something underneath his car. Erin was standing on the front porch wearing a bathrobe, curlers in her hair, and a glass of grape juice in her hand.

"Hey!" she shouted. "Didn't I ask you to mow the lawn?"

Rossi rolled his eyes and crawled out from underneath his car.

"Would you stop working on your car and mow the lawn?!"

This was the only time Erin bossed him around outside of work. He couldn't disobey her, especially since she was his boss.

Her cell phone rang, and she saw that Emily was calling.

"Hello?" the Section Chief asked. "What? When? Ok, we'll be right over."

"What happened?" Rossi replied.

"Hotch's been abducted. By Haley, Ryan, and who appeared to be Foyet."


	36. Haley is caught

Rossi and Erin were the first people to arrive at Hotch's house. They found Emily and quickly untied her. She started crying and Rossi pulled her into his arms.

"They took Jack too," she said. "Haley has them both."

"We're going to find them," Rossi replied. "I'll call the team and tell them to meet us back at the BAU."

~CriminalMinds~

The first thing Hotch felt when he woke up was that his head was throbbing. His hands had been restrained behind him and his mouth felt dry and scratchy.

He couldn't believe that his ex-wife had joined this mess just for money and custody of Jack, something she would never get. Haley, Ryan, Cruz, and Foyet would all sit in prison for the rest of their lives and would never get out. They had too many offenses to their names to even think about being released on bail or with parole.

Hotch heard the car stopping on the side of the road. He began to wonder where he was. Was Jack safe? Had Emily managed to call the team and tell them what happened?

The trunk door opened and Hotch saw the cruel face of Max Ryan staring him down.

"This time you won't be getting away," Ryan snapped. "My plan has been designed very carefully. It has been proven to work. I'll make sure not to send you back to your team until I'm finished with you."

Hotch was taken out of the trunk and led towards a two-story house off in the distance. Haley was clutching Jack close to her. He was trying to get away, but she held onto him with all her strength. She wasn't going to let him go.

~CriminalMinds~

_***You shout it out,_

_But I can't hear a word you say_

_You're talking loud, not saying much_

_You criticize but all your bullets ricochet_

_You shoot me down, but I get up_

_I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose_

_Fire away, fire away_

_Ricochet, you take your aim_

_Fire away, fire away_

_You shoot me down but I won't fall_

_I am titanium***_

Hotch was dragged through the house and into the basement, where the brainwashing machine was.

"What do you want from me?" the Unit Chief snapped.

"I want you to suffer. We'll call Gideon in a bit and see how he reacts. But first, you will comply with me or else," Ryan replied.

"I will never comply with you! My team knows that you are responsible and will hunt you down."

"What have I told you before? I'm not scared of the BAU. I used to work for them until Gideon removed me and screwed up the rest of my life."

"I'll make sure you'll rot away in prison for what you've done to me. I'll make sure you'll never get out."

"We'll see who wins in the end."

Hotch was restrained in the machine, his hands tied down and a helmet placed on his head.

"You will comply," Ryan said before leaving the room. He then turned to Haley.

"In this bag is a hundred thousand dollars and two plane tickets to Paris. You and Jack need to escape the country and take on new identities. Passports are in the bag along with the plane tickets."

"Thanks Boss. You need anything else?"

"Actually, one more thing. Take this burner phone and charger. Any call you make is untraceable."

"Sounds good."

~CriminalMinds~

Haley took Jack with her and got him strapped into his carseat.

"You and I are going to take a little trip," she said. "You'll get to spend some time with Mommy."

"But I want to see Daddy!" Jack begged. "Please, Mommy, don't take me away."

"I'm sorry, but the only way I'm ever going to see you again is if you come with me."

"I won't go anywhere without Daddy."

Haley ignored her son and got herself into the driver's seat. She was prepared to arrive at the airport, get on her flight, and never come back to the U.S.

~CriminalMinds~

The team arrived at the BAU, and immediately began alerting airports, bus stops, and Metro stations about Haley possible kidnapping a child and taking him out of the country. Ryan, Cruz, Foyet, and Haley's profiles were all sent to TSA, and they would call if they saw either one of them.

One of the TSA agents spotted a woman with a young child. She had short brown hair.

The woman looked at the ticket, then at the mother.

The agent picked up her phone and immediately dialed the BAU, telling them that Haley was trying to board a flight to Paris.

The profilers responded right away, saying they would be at the airport within five minutes.

~CriminalMinds~

Haley handed her ticket to the collector. The woman behind the counter said that their was a problem with the ticket and needed to be looked at more carefully.

Haley and Jack had to wait in the waiting area, which was were the BAU would pick her up.

Hotch's team arrived at the airport and found the gate where Jack and Haley were sitting.

"Put your hands in the air, Haley!" Rossi said, pulling out his gun and pointing it at her. "It's over!"

She slowly set the bag in the ground and put her hands behind her head. Jack ran over to Morgan, who immediately picked the little boy up off the ground.

Haley was arrested and taken out of the airport and into the waiting SWAT van.

"What's going to happen to me?" Jack asked the profiler. "Mommy and Daddy are gone."

"We're going to find your Daddy," Morgan replied. "And until we do, you're going to live with Uncle Dave and Aunt Erin."

~CriminalMinds~

"Darn it!" Ryan muttered angrily, throwing his glass of unfinished wine into the fireplace and watching the glass break. "Cruz, get in here!"

The partner immediately entered the room. "What's up, Boss?"

"Haley was just arrested by the BAU. Jack is now going to be in protective custody. Our plan is falling apart," Ryan continued.

"Told you they would figure it out," Hotch replied from the other side of the room. He had been locked in the brainwashing machine for a half hour, and so far, he was refusing to let himself comply with his captors.

"You shut up!" Cruz snapped. "You'll be working with us before you know it."


	37. Cruz arrested and a failed rescue

Rossi sat across the table from Haley in the interrogation room. He wasn't really in the mood to talk to her, especially since she betrayed her ex-husband and Will.

"Where's Hotch, Haley?" the profiler asked her.

She just crossed her arms. "I'm not telling you anything unless I have a lawyer in here."

Rossi just rolled his eyes. His boss's ex-wife was getting on his nerves.

~CriminalMinds~

Brian and Jessica were out on a date when he suddenly pulled out a little black box. He knew he just had to ask her the question.

"Jessica Brooks, will you be my wife?" Anderson asked his girlfriend, revealing the diamond ring.

She put a hand over her mouth and gasped. Then, the happy tears came.

"Yes, Brian, I will!" she said. He kissed her as he slid the ring on her finger.

"You just made me the happiest man alive."

His phone rang, and Caller ID said that the number was unknown.

"Hello?" Anderson asked, holding his fiancée close to him.

"Hello Anderson, it's been awhile," the voice replied. "How romantic that you decided to propose to your little girlfriend. But unfortunately, that wedding won't be happening for a while."

"Who is this?"

"The man who almost ended your life a couple months ago. I'm still alive."

"I'm going to find you and put you in the ground," Anderson threatened. "I will find you. And when I do, it won't be a happy ending for you."

"Jessica better be careful. Her decisions must be wise. I have her brother-in-law right here beside me. Put her on the line."

She took the phone from Anderson and once she heard Hotch's voice on the end of the line, she became enraged. Hotch was still her family and she knew that Jack needed his father more than anything since her sister was now in jail.

"What do you want from me, you creep?" Jessica snapped at Ryan.

"You to listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you. Any decision you make must be the right one, even in difficult situations. Otherwise, it only takes one bullet to end Aaron's life," Ryan replied.

"I'll do what you want, just don't hurt him."

"I won't if you obey me. He'll be perfectly fine."

~CriminalMinds~

The team was in the bullpen, trying to figure out anything that could led them to finding Hotch.

"Garcia, does Hotch have GPS on his phone?" JJ asked her best friend.

"Yes, he does, give me one second," the analyst replied, quickly heading down to her lab.

Within three minutes, she was back in the bullpen.

"Hotch does, and I found the location."

She told them the address, and the team was immediately grabbing their weapons and walking to the elevators.

~CriminalMinds~

Meanwhile, Hotch was still doing his best to fight the machine. His resistance was working, but now, he was running out of energy. He had already been partly brainwashed, but the other half of him was fighting to stay sane.

"I will never work with you!" Hotch snapped at Ryan. "Never in my life would I ever want to. You betrayed everyone! Who would want to work for someone that deceived them? I know I wouldn't."

"You shut your mouth," Ryan replied. "The transformation is halfway done. You'll never be the same again."

"My team has probably already located you and is on their way. They will arrest you and throw you into prison."

"I won't be going there. Not for a while, at least. I still have some things I want to do to you first. They'll be done before I even go to prison."

~CriminalMinds~

The team was only five minutes away from the house when the GPS signal from Hotch's phone was shut off.

"Darn it, we lost the signal!" Rossi muttered from the passenger seat.

They were now lost on the road, and were trying to call Garcia and have her send them directions to the house.

~CriminalMinds~

"I found your little GPS tracking device," Ryan said. "I know of a simpler way to make you comply, since we now have to change locations."

He pulled out a syringe and pricked Hotch's neck with it.

"This will take no time at all to work," Ryan continued. He called Cruz and Foyet into the basement.

Within a minute, Hotch awoke from the drug's immediate unconsciousness agent. But he awoke a completely different person. He no longer was BAU Unit Chief. He now was smiling sadistically, and eagerly took a spare gun from Ryan.

"You now work for us," the killer said. "The BAU will be here shortly, and Cruz, Foyet and I must go someplace else to keep from being arrested. Your job is to hold the FBI off until we can escape. We will come back for you. Sound like a good plan?"

"Yes, boss, I'll do it," Hotch replied. "I'll make sure you get away."

~CriminalMinds~

The team arrived at the house, guns at their sides and ready to fire. They would do whatever it took to get their leader back.

JJ and Morgan found the kidnappers' car and searched the exterior for any clues. JJ decided to stay behind while Morgan and the rest of the team searched the house.

Cruz came out through the front door, where he was overpowered by Morgan and Emily. Rossi, Gideon, and Reid all headed into the house.

Morgan and Emily threw Cruz into the trunk of the FBI car, then made sure JJ was ok before going into the house.

After the two agents went inside, JJ was suddenly knocked out from behind by Ryan. He and Foyet moved her away from the car and quickly got inside.

Morgan heard the car starting up and tried to shoot out a tire, but missed. Both Ryan and Foyet made a clean getaway.

"Darn it!" the profiler muttered, then noticed the unconscious JJ lying next to the front yard garden. "JJ!"

Morgan shouted into his walkie-talkie: "Agent down and Ryan and Foyet got away in a 2003 Red Chevy with the first three license plate digits 489."

Meanwhile, inside the house, Gideon was searching for anything on the first floor, while Rossi headed upstairs.

Rossi was almost done his search, when suddenly, a gun touched the back of his head.

"Hello, Agent Rossi, long time no see," Hotch said, grinning sadistically.


	38. Losing Jordan

Rossi felt the air leaving his lungs. His own best friend and boss was pointing a gun at him. How could he betray the BAU?

"Hotch, what are you doing? I'm trying to help you! Ryan is crazy, he doesn't want to help you, he wants to kill you!" Rossi exclaimed.

"No he doesn't," Hotch said, the sadistic grin still spread across his face. "I'm so happy now that I work for him."

"No! Hotch, you've been drugged, he's going to kill you! He knocked JJ out and got away with Foyet! They're probably planning something bigger that could eventually lead to one of our deaths. I can't let that happen to you. You're too important to us, Hotch. You must fight him!"

"I'll never-" Hotch said, but was suddenly pricked by a needle. He immediately went unconscious and collapsed in Gideon's arms.

"I've got you, Hotch," Jason said. "We'll catch Ryan and make sure he'll never escape prison."

"We got Cruz," Morgan replied as he reached the second floor. "We got him."

"And JJ? She ok?" Rossi asked.

"Yes, she's fine, I think she's going to have a headache for a day or two, but she'll recover."

~CriminalMinds~

When Hotch awoke, he saw that he was surrounded by his team, even Elle, who was resting comfortingly in her wheelchair.

He was incredibly groggy, feeling light-headed and wondering where he was.

"Where...where am I?" Hotch asked.

"You're in the hospital. Ryan drugged you with the Strangler's brainwashing machine and a muscle relaxant which causes amnesia. You'll recover just fine," Rossi said. "We got Cruz, Hotch. He's currently in a prison cell. Unfortunately, Ryan and Foyet got away, but we've been setting up roadblocks at state borders and have extra security at bus stops, train stations, and airports. Even ones with private planes. Those two whackjobs won't be slipping away too far. We'll get them, Hotch. We'll make sure they'll pay for what they did to you."

"Elle," the Unit Chief replied. "Is everything ok?"

"I guess. I mean, I can't walk or run or do anything with my legs ever again, but I think I'm fine. I'm managing with my injury. I'm resigning from the BAU. I want someone else to take my place. Is Emily already permanently staying?"

"Yes, she's full-time. I know that there are a couple of applications waiting to be looked at, and when I go back to work, I'll look at them. We need two or three new people. Anderson has already volunteered to work on the team full time. He is now the newest member. Also, Rossi, I'm sorry that I pointed a gun at you and almost pulled the trigger. I don't know what got into me."

"It's ok, Hotch. I think you would have made Erin a very unhappy woman, and in the future, a single mother," the profiler replied.

"She's pregnant?" the team asked.

"Yes, she told me at JJ's wedding. We're very excited."

~CriminalMinds~

But Hotch didn't stay in the hospital very long. Barely six hours after being admitted, he was back in his office looking through the first application on his desk.

He called the young woman into his office, which Emily took note of. She didn't like unmarried women going into her boyfriend's office, because she was afraid that he would cheat on her. But he promised her that he wouldn't leave her for someone else because his love for her was stronger than ever.

After five minutes, the team minus Elle was in the bullpen when Hotch walked out of his office with a blond woman beside him.

"This is Ashley Seaver. She's going to be taking Elle's place."

~CriminalMinds~

Jordan Todd had started to feel very unaccepted on Hotch's team. Morgan paid no attention to her and would always be hanging around Garcia.

The profiler wanted Morgan to tell her how he felt about her. But she would never get to talk to him with his girlfriend hanging around.

So, when Penelope got up and left with JJ and Emily for a coffee break, Jordan found Morgan at the bulletin board, with pictures of the crime scenes.

"Hello Morgan," Jordan said with a slightly flirty smile. "How are you today?"

"I'm doing fine, Agent Todd," Morgan replied, picking up on her clues. He realized that she was trying to hit on him. He loved Garcia and no other woman was going to ruin their relationship.

"Where you going? You want to grab some coffee?"

"Let me be straight, Agent Todd. I will report you to the boss for harassment if you continue to aggravate me. I know that you're trying to hit on me and ask me out on dates. Listen to me, Jordan, I'm not interested. I love Garcia. You and I are co-workers, nothing more."

"But...but I love you Morgan. I have been since I met you."

"And I was in love with Penelope longer than I've known you. And don't you dare try to ask anyone else on this team out. We're all taken. Rossi is married to Erin, Gideon's married to Elle, and Reid is with JJ. They were married just a few days ago. I'm dating Garcia, and Hotch is dating Emily. Anderson's engaged to Hotch's sister-in-law. So, go find someone else."

Jordan's face became red and she stormed off towards the bathroom. She was done working for Hotch's team. She would be transferring to Andi Swann's team tomorrow.

~CriminalMinds~

After work that night, Reid and JJ headed out to a club, where JJ was already high on three glasses of vodka and heading out to the dance floor.

Flo Rida's "Touch Me," started playing, and after a minute and a half, JJ pulled her husband out onto the floor, where everyone started applauding for their excellent dance skills.

_I like you sexy, I want you next to me_

_Let's leave a legacy, got me feelin' like ecstasy_

_And a little bit of jealousy, it's all about your melody_

_Right where I care to be, Shawty glad, that's definitely a felony_

~CriminalMinds~

The next day, while the team was investigating a lead on where Ryan possibly was, they didn't realize that they would be traumatized by the time they were ready to leave.

Ryan was hiding on the top floor of a tall office building, which had been abandoned for three years. The entire BAU team, minus Elle, Erin, and Garcia, were all headed towards the Downtown bank.

The killer pulled out a sniper rifle with long-range distance, and attached a silencer to the end of the weapon. He lined up the shot, and pulled the trigger.

The team saw Todd get hit right in the middle of her forehead and immediately hit the ground. They slowly moved away, trying to hide.

Ryan quickly took apart the gun and packed it away in its case, then walked into the elevator, headed down to the first floor, and vanished into the daylight.


	39. Tobias Hankel and George Foyet's plans

The team came out from behind the tall planters when they thought it was safe to come out. Morgan saw Jordan, lying on the cold cement, dead and lifeless. He immediately regretted yelling at her yesterday, telling her to go find someone else because everyone else was taken.

"Darn it!" Morgan angrily muttered. "This is all my fault! I shouldn't have yelled at her, and now she's dead!"

"Morgan, this is not your fault," JJ said.

"Is it? She tried to ask me out on a date. I told her off, and I didn't apologize for being so harsh. She was going to transfer today. And now, I'll never get the chance to tell her I was sorry."

"We'll find out who did this, Morgan. I promise," Reid spoke up. "I'll kill them myself if I have to."

~CriminalMinds~

Foyet just sat and watched the team letting their tears fall. He knew he didn't have much time left before the FBI nailed him and Ryan. They were going to have to hide in plain sight in order to continue getting their revenge on Gideon. With Elle gone from the BAU, it would be much easier to mess around with Jason.

~CriminalMinds~

Reid's head felt like lead. He couldn't lift his head up to see where he had been brought to. He remembered heading back to the BAU to start investigating Jordan's murder when he was suddenly grabbed by his arch-enemy, Tobias Hankel. This man had escaped from prison after nearly trying to kill Spencer five years ago. And now, Hankel was determined to finish where he had left off.

Reid needed to get out of this prison. Foyet and Ryan were still out in the world, determining to do harm. Trouble was heading their way.

"What do you've want, Tobias?" Spencer snapped at his kidnapper. "I'll do anything you want. Just don't hurt my team. Please."

"I wasn't planning on hurting your team, Spencer. I was only planning on finishing what I started five years ago. We never finished our little party. Trust me, it's going to be a lot more fun than last time."

"It wasn't fun! I nearly died!" Reid snapped again. "I will kill you! I will! And I don't break promises once I make them."

Tobias left the room and came back a minute later with a syringe and a strange looking liquid.

"This won't hurt a bit," Hankel said, filling the syringe.

~CriminalMinds~

Hotch arrived home, feeling exhausted. With Reid missing and Ryan and Foyet still lose, he needed a good night's sleep before continuing the case tomorrow.

As he prepared to pour himself a drink, he suddenly became aware of footsteps coming up behind him. The sound of a gun being cocked startled him.

"You really should have made a deal," the person said.

"Foyet!" Hotch replied under his breath.

"Did you really think that you would catch me?" Foyet taunted. "I knew you'd be here. All alone, with no team and no girlfriend."

"They're looking for you!" Hotch replied. But, Foyet wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. The killer fired off a shot, the bullet hitting the wall and creating a large hole.

"Do I have your attention now, Hotchner?" Foyet snapped. "Next time I decide to fire, I may hit you in the chest. And then you won't be coming back from that."

The killer removed his mask, but wasn't fast enough. Hotch leapt forward and tried to shove Foyet to the ground, but he was stronger. Foyet shoved the Unit Chief backwards, causing him to lose his balance. Hotch was slapped in the face twice, but the second slap with the gun temporarily stunned him. As Hotch put his hands to his face, Foyet pulled out a scalpel and stabbed the Unit Chief in the chest with the weapon.

Hotch leaned forward, then fell backwards on the carpet, blood spilling from his stab wound.

Foyet stabbed his hostage eight more times, then prepared to finish him off.

But then, Hotch's cell phone rang. The killer looked at Caller ID.

"Hm…" Foyet said. "Looks like your girlfriend is calling. How about you say goodbye? We've got somewhere to go after. I've got to drop you off at the hospital so that you don't die. Then I'm going to find that little son of yours and kill him."

He gave the phone to Hotch, who was looking quite weak.

"Emily?" the Unit Chief exclaimed, but the pain was starting to affect how he was doing.

"Hotch!" her voice echoed on the other end of the line. "We've found Reid and arrested Hankel. Where are you?"

"Prentiss…" Aaron began. "I may not ever see you again. I may die."

"Hotch, what are you talking about? Where are you? I'm coming to get you now."

"No, you can't. It's...it's Foyet. He got to me first. He's letting me say goodbye. That's all I have time for."

"Hotch, no! Don't you dare die on me! I won't let you! Jack needs you!"

"I'm sorry…" Hotch said, the tears starting. "I love you, Emily. I always have and I will never stop loving you. Even throughout eternity, I will always love you. Take care of Jack for me."

~CriminalMinds~

Emily heard the line die, then immediately told the team that Hotch was in trouble. They were taking Reid with them, even though he wasn't 100 percent ok.

The team raced over to Hotch's home, where they saw Foyet climbing into the driver's seat of a red truck. Hotch's hands had been tied with a rope, and he was bleeding through his shirt.

"There!" JJ said, pointing to the truck. The profilers immediately hit the gas after Foyet, who was causing mayhem throughout the supposed-to-be quiet street that Hotch lived on.

After a half hour of chasing, Morgan was able to fire off a shot, hitting one of the truck's back tires, flattening it.

"George Foyet, get out of the car with your hands on your head!" Rossi shouted.

The killer knew he had been defeated. He obeyed and was immediately handcuffed by JJ and Morgan, who locked the criminal in the trunk. Hotch was freed and laid down in the backseat of the car. He needed to be taken to the hospital right away.

~CriminalMinds~

An hour later, Hotch was in a hospital bed, resting. He saw the little black box sitting on the table beside him. He was expected to make a full recovery in about ten months to a year.

Emily came in and gave him a kiss.

"I was so scared!" she exclaimed. "I thought Foyet had killed you!"

"I'm a fighter," Hotch replied. "I could never let him win. The war between the FBI and the unsubs is almost over. Once we get Ryan, it's over. I won't let him succeed."

"I'm just glad you're ok."

"Can you hand me the little black box that's on the table?" Hotch asked.

"Sure," Emily replied.

"This little box determines my future with you."

Emily realized what he was saying right away before he even opened the box.

"Will you?" he asked, showing her what was inside.

"Yes, Hotch, I will," she replied, kissing him, but being careful not to knock out any IV lines.


	40. The end of the nightmare

Hotch carefully slipped the diamond ring onto his fiancée's finger.

"Oh, Aaron, it's beautiful. I love it," Emily said, kissing him again. "And I love you more."

"I love you too," he replied. "How are we going to tell everyone?"

"I don't know, I'm too excited about it that I want to tell everyone once you go back to work. Tomorrow right?"

"Yes, I'll be back at my desk tomorrow. I want to go back there already. I hate being locked up in a hospital bed."

There was a knock at the door, and immediately, Emily hid her left hand behind her back. She really wanted to keep the engagement a surprise to her co-workers.

"Hey Garcia," the brunette said to her best friend.

"Hey, Em! I've got someone here who wants to see you two," the analyst replied, holding a squirming Jack.

"Daddy! Emmy!" the little boy cried.

"Come here buddy, just be careful," Hotch said, as his son walked over to him.

"I'll be back later," Garcia replied, noticing that Morgan was bringing her a cup of coffee.

Once the blond woman was out of earshot, Jack turned to Emily and noticed the ring.

"Emmy, what's with the diamond around your finger?" he asked.

"It's a little present to me from your dad," Emily said. "It's something that a Daddy gives to a Mommy when they decide to be together forever."

"You mean like getting married?"

"Yes, Jack, your Dad and I will be getting married in a few months."

"What do you think, Buddy?" Hotch asked his son. "About having Emily as your new mom?"

"I like her! I've been wanting her to stay for a long time."

"The thing is, you can't tell any of your aunts or uncles until tomorrow," Emily said to her soon-to-be stepson. "Your dad and I want to keep it a surprise."

~CriminalMinds~

Jack was finding it hard to keep his dad's secret. The little boy couldn't believe he was going to have a Mom again. He wanted nothing to do with Haley anymore, not after she kidnapped him and tried to take him out of the country.

In the main bedroom, Hotch was having trouble sleeping. He and Emily had agreed when they started dating to not sleep in the same bed together until they were married, if that step would ever happen. But now that they would getting married, there would be some changes going on around the Hotchner household.

The first big change was that Emily would move out of her apartment and into the house. The family had also decided to adopt a dog once they were all together. Haley hadn't been a real 'pet person' and she had forbidden Jack from getting any type of pet.

~CriminalMinds~

The next two months was spent planning for the Hotchner-Prentiss wedding. Ryan seemed to be hiding someplace, because he hadn't shown his face or was anywhere near the BAU. It seemed as though he had fled the country or was now living under a new identity.

However, Ryan was hiding in Quantico. He was still stalking the BAU, wanting to get his revenge on Gideon.

The killer had followed the soon-to-be married couple to an office in Downtown, which was the marriage license office. After Hotch and Emily left, Ryan was able to sneak a peek at the licenses and saw Hotch and Emily's info. The killer planned to ambush the happy couple and destroy them once and for all.

~CriminalMinds~

The team had discussed a plan on how they were going to capture Ryan. Since they had figured out that he had seen the marriage license, they were going to use the wedding to ambush Ryan and put an end to him once and for all.

The team would be hiding in a guesthouse at Rossi's mansion, and once the killer entered the house, FBI agents would be prepared to arrest him.

~CriminalMinds~

The wedding date was finally here.

Hotch, in his tuxedo, was waiting outside in the front yard for Emily to walk out and join him. She exited the house through the front door, looking absolutely stunning. Her white dress came to her ankles and the beautiful bouquet of white orchid flowers made her look even more wonderful.

She walked up to Hotch and linked her arm around his. He smiled at her, knowing that in just a few minutes, they would together forever. Their unending love would last throughout eternity.

They walked into the guesthouse, closing the door behind them. However, Ryan had been hiding in the bushes outside the house, and now had his gun pointed in front of him. His plan to shoot and kill Hotch was going as expected.

When Ryan opened the door to the guesthouse, he found the room completely empty. The bride and groom were nowhere to be seen.

The gun was still pointed in front of him. He was looking for any sign of movement.

"Freeze, FBI! Put the weapon down on the ground!" Rossi's angry voice shouted from behind the door.

Ryan knew he had been defeated once he saw the group of profilers coming out with guns pointed at him. Even Emily had a weapon in her hand.

Ryan set his gun on the ground, and was arrested by Morgan and JJ. The others made sure that their prisoner wasn't going to get away.

Andi Swann's team would take care of Ryan while the wedding took place.

~CriminalMinds~

"It's over," Hotch said to Emily after Ryan was being lead away. "The nightmare has finally come to an end. He will never bother us again."

"Let's get married," she replied to her soon-to-be husband.

"I couldn't agree for more."

The happy couple walked through the guesthouse and into the backyard, where the team was waiting for them. The pastor was standing at the end of the altar, along with JJ, who was the maid of honor. Rossi, Morgan, Reid, and Gideon were standing off to the right. Ashley and Garcia were standing on the left next to Elle, who was sitting in her wheelchair, holding her bouquet of flowers. Jack was the ring bearer and the flower boy.

After saying their vows, the pastor turned to Hotch first.

"Do you take Emily Prentiss to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," Hotch replied, giving her the diamond-encrusted ring.

"Do you take Aaron Hotchner to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," Emily said, giving Hotch the gold band.

"By the power vested in me and by the state of Virginia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," the pastor said, closing his Bible.

Hotch smiled at Emily, then kissed her as everyone else burst into applause.

"May I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Hotchner!" the pastor said as the couple started to make their way back down the aisle towards the dance floor.

While on the floor, Morgan and Penelope spent some alone time, watching the newlyweds dance.

"Penelope Garcia, will you marry me?" he asked. "I'm the only man on the team who isn't married yet, and there's no one I would spend the rest of my life with."

"Yes, Morgan, you know I could never say no to you," the analyst replied, kissing him.

Hotch and Emily walked over to Jack, who was just loving the music.

"Hey, buddy, we're going to be leaving for a couple of weeks. You going to miss us when we're gone?" Hotch asked his son.

"Yes, daddy, I want to go with you. What are you going to do there?" the boy replied.

"We're going to go down to the beaches and watch sunsets, and explore the tropical islands."

"I'll miss you Daddy. Mommy, I'll miss you too."


	41. Epilogue: A Year Later

***A/N: I realized that I kind of left the story unfinished, sorry about that. This is the final chapter.***

***A year later***

The entire BAU team was gathered at Rossi's mansion for a summer barbeque. After Ryan was finally arrested and locked away in jail, the team knew that their nightmare was over. Haley, Cruz, Foyet, and Ryan would all die behind prison walls, never going to be released.

Rossi was in the backyard preparing lunch when he suddenly felt something touching his arm. Setting the tongs on the barbeque, he noticed his three month-old daughter was reaching out to him.

Erin was holding the little girl in her arms, looking very happy.

The baby began to cry, but Erin was having a little trouble calming her daughter down.

"Ssh, Alyse, it's ok," Rossi said, taking the little girl and rocking her in his arms.

"She seems to have been wanting you for a while," his wife replied.

"There they are!" a voice shouted. The couple turned around to find Hotch and Emily entering the backyard with a bag of potato chips. Jack was now six, but today he seemed extra happy about something. Rossi suddenly picked up on the clue right away: Emily was putting a hand over her lower abdomen and rubbing circles around a slightly protruding bump. He looked over at Hotch, who seemed to have no clue what Emily was doing.

Within twenty minutes, everyone else arrived. Morgan and Penelope had just gotten back from their honeymoon a week ago, and a very pregnant JJ was holding a bowl of fruit salad. Reid was walking right behind her.

Jason was pushing Elle in her wheelchair. She was cuddling her son and their newly adopted daughter Phoebe.

Walking behind the couple was Ashley Seaver, who had resigned from the BAU and had become Elle's stay-at-home nurse.

After Seaver's resignation, two other women had joined the team: Alex Blake and Kate Callahan.

The two women walked into the backyard with their spouses and children. Soon after, Anderson and Jessica walked in with their adopted son Matthew.

"Is everyone here?" Rossi asked.

"Yep," Erin said, counting the people. "Everyone's accounted for."

Rossi and Hotch worked the barbeque while Emily jumped in the pool and pulled JJ in with her.

The others either joined the women in the pool or raced over to the drink cooler.

After fifteen minutes, everyone heard Rossi's, "Lunch is ready!" and immediately ran over to the food. The team was enjoying their lunch and day off. It was also the perfect day to share some exciting news.

"I have an announcement to make," Emily said, setting her food on the table. "What better place to share the news than in front of all my friends and family?"

Jack was having trouble keeping his excitement down.

"I'm pregnant," she said. "Sixteen weeks along."

She turned to look at her husband, who was actually cracking a smile. He looked like he was about to cry happy tears.

He got out of his chair and ran over to his wife.

"I love you," he said. "This is the best news I've gotten in a long time."

"I love you too. I did find out the gender, would you like to know?"

"Yes, please."

"We're having a little girl."

He kissed her, then said hello to the little bundle of joy growing inside her.

After Emily's surprise pregnancy announcement, the team felt a wave of darkness pass over them. Today was the one-year anniversary of the day Ryan first showed off his plan to destroy the BAU. But now, the team was living normal lives. No more Ryan. No more stalking. No more threats.

The team decided to partake in a toast, celebrating one year of pain-free lives. Ryan and his group would never come near them ever again.

Raising their glasses, the team began looking ahead at what the next phase of their lives would be.


	42. THE SEQUEL BEGINS: Time to pay

Max Ryan sat in his prison cell, thinking about how horrible his life had been for the past year. His life had been nothing but pain while the BAU family was married and had kids. Ryan wanted them to pay for what they had done to him and his friends. Foyet, Cruz, Ryan, and Haley all shared one prison cell, and for a couple of months now, they had coming up with a plan to make the BAU pay for their mistakes. It was time to show them that no good deed goes unpunished. The prison bell rang, signaling that it was time for lunch. Foyet and the gang grabbed their food and as they had over to their normal table, they noticed a man with dark hair sitting alone. They walked over and sat down with him.

"What's your name?" Ryan asked. "I'm Max Ryan, but you can just call me Ryan. This is Foyet, Cruz, and Haley."

"My name is Peter Lewis, but you can call me Mr. Scratch," the man replied.

"What did you get thrown in prison for?"

"Mind-controlling people to kill their loved ones. What did you four do?"

"We also tried to mind-control an FBI agent, but the plan kind of failed. We also shot and kidnapped the same agent, who managed to get away. We were thrown in here because of all those things. But we're planning on make him and his team pay for what they've done."

"Sounds interesting," Mr. Scratch said.

"You can join if you want," Haley replied. "We'd love to have a fifth person join. I'm interested how you brainwashed those people. How did it work?"

"Drugs. They work like a charm. I still have of the doses hidden in my garage. When the FBI arrested me, they never found the drugs. As of right now, I'm not sure who's living in the house, or if anyone is even there."

"So, are you in?"

"Absolutely."

"Ok, here's the plan…"

~CM~

Seaver was at the Gideon household, looking after Elle and the children. The former blond profiler was loving her job. She was paid good money and loved looking after children. But today, Seaver's life would be changed forever.

As she was getting Stephen his lunch, her phone began to ring. She saw that it was an unknown number.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Agent Seaver. Or should I call you former Agent Seaver?" a voice on the other end replied.

"Who is this?"

"Someone you don't want to mess with. But if you want your boyfriend to live, then you will do as we say."

"What are you talking about?"

The phone was moved across the room, and then Ashley heard the voice of her boyfriend.

"Ash," he said, using her nickname. "Help me, please! These people are crazy!"

"Nick?" she asked. "Are you alright?"

"I've been kidnapped by a bunch of psychos!" he exclaimed. "Please, help me!"

"Ms. Seaver, if you want your boyfriend back alive, then you will comply with us. You will work with the dark side if you want him to live. If you obey us, then Nick here will survive. But if you don't comply, then your boyfriend's dead. You understand?"

"Yes, please don't hurt him. I'll do anything."

"Excellent. Then you will meet us outside the Quantico Penitentiary in twenty minutes if you want him back alive. Don't be late. We might accept an excuse if there's traffic."

The line clicked, and Seaver felt like crying. She was betraying her friends in order to save the man she loved. She would never forgive herself if any of her friends got hurt or killed because of her.

Ashley told Elle that she had a family emergency and needed to leave right away.

"I'll try to be back soon," Seaver said. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok," Elle replied, using her arms to sit up a bit straighter. Ever since she had been paralyzed, her daily life had become more difficult. "I'll tell Jason that you'll be back in a few days."

Seaver said a quick thank-you, then ran out the door and towards her car. Time was not on her side.

~CM~

Haley and her four friends stood outside the Penitentiary, relieved to finally be out in the world again. The plan had been simple to escape prison. They had surprised guards and stole weapons. They managed to get out of prison within ten minutes. Before they left, they threatened the guards not to say anything about their escape or else their loved ones would die.

About five minutes before the time was up, Haley spotted a red car pulling up. Seaver got out of the car and walked over to the group looking nervous.

"Where is Nick?" Seaver demanded.

"Someplace safe," Cruz replied. "Now you must come with us if you ever want to see him again."

Mr. Scratch quickly whipped out a cloth and drugged Seaver before she even had a chance to react. She fell unconscious within a few seconds and Haley locked the former profiler in the trunk of her car. The vehicle sped off into the daylight and towards an abandoned house.

~CM~

Hotch was sitting on the couch, his pregnant wife curled up next to him. They were watching TV and just enjoying the time they had together before their little girl would arrive. It had been about a month since the barbeque at Rossi's house and now Emily was really starting to show. Her baby bump was getting bigger every day, and Hotch thought she looked even more beautiful.

The Unit Chief felt his phone buzz and wondered who would be texting him at eight in the morning on a Saturday. He saw that the text was from an unknown sender. Immediately, he was becoming nervous, worried that Ryan was trying to taunt him. But Hotch knew that Ryan was behind bars, never to see the light of day again. Haley, Cruz, and Foyet were also suffering the same punishment. Hotch and his co-workers had been continuing to live pain-free lives.

-Hello Hotch, it's been a long time. Did you miss me?

~Ryan

"No, it can't be!" Hotch exclaimed.

"What is it, honey?" Emily asked her husband.

"Ryan is out in the world again."


	43. Ransom demands

Ashley slowly opened her eyes. Her head felt groggy and her throat seemed dry and scratchy. Had she been screaming? She wasn't sure. The space she was in felt dark and small. Her hands had been restrained behind her and something was tied around her mouth. A small headache was starting to form, and Seaver felt like crying. Why didn't she react when she saw him coming at her with a cloth?

The car pulled off to the side of the road and stopped in front of an old house. Foyet got out of the vehicle and walked over to the trunk. Opening the door, he looked at Seaver and smiled.

"You're pretty," he said. "Bet someone would pay a lot of money to get you back, wouldn't they? What about Gideon? He seems like the type of guy that would fall for someone like you."

Foyet ripped the duct tape off her mouth and allowed her to speak.

"You're disgusting. I would never wreck his marriage. He loves his wife, and I would never steal another woman's husband away. I have a boyfriend! Where is he?" Seaver exclaimed.

"Your boyfriend is at home safe and sound. That was just an imitation done by the lovely Mr. Scratch here. He can pretty much sound like anyone and make other people believe that he is really is their loved ones."

"This...this was all a trap?"

"Yes. Part of our plan was to abduct you so that we'd get some money from Gideon. He's the one that needs to pay for what he's done to me. He put me in jail! I've spent an entire year off my life behind bars and now it's time to tell Jason that no good deed goes unpunished. He will pay a lot to get you back alive. He obviously cares about you."

"He does care about me as a friend. He's my boss; why would I be in love with him? I'm not!"

"We'll see if you really are telling the truth," he said. "We'll see who's been right all along."

Foyet picked up the phone and dialed Gideon, waiting for him to pick up…

~CM~

Jason had just come through the doorway when he heard the phone ring. He wondered who'd be calling him at this time of the day.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hello, Jason, did you think you'd forget about me?" Ryan replied. "I don't think so."

"No...no way, it can't be. You're in prison. Leave me alone."

"I'm not in prison anymore. Along with Haley, Foyet, and Cruz. We also have a new friend that has joined the team. I won't tell you his name. But we are out in the world, enjoying the fresh air, not having to worry about rotting away behind those prison walls anymore. You will pay for what you've done to us. And I can promise you this time that you won't like what's coming. The suffering you will feel is going to hurt more than last time. And I promise that you will lose someone important to you because of what you've done."

The line went dead, and Jason felt like he was going to break down. He had worked so hard to put these creeps behind bars for life, but somehow, they managed to break out of prison. He needed to let Strauss and the team know because their stalker was on the loose.

"Elle, where's Seaver?" Gideon asked his wife.

"She got a call about an hour ago and told me that a family emergency had come up," Elle replied. "I gave her some time off."

The phone rang again, but this time, Gideon's hands were shaking as he picked it up.

"Yes, who is this?" he asked after answering the call.

"Boss...Gideon," came Seaver's voice. "Please help me!"

"Seaver? Is that you? Are you alright?" he replied.

"No, please help me! These people are crazy! They're saying I'm in love with you, which I'm not. I know this really isn't the conversation to have with your wife in the room. Is she?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry! I really am! They're saying that I love you, but you're my boss and I know you're happily married. But these people won't believe me!"

"Ah yes, those are some brave words coming from your stay-at-home nurse, Gideon," Ryan said, taking the phone away from Seaver. "She's a lovely woman, so why would you marry someone like Elle who's paralyzed for the rest of her life?"

"You're sick, Ryan! I care about Seaver! She's a really good friend of mine! And I love my wife and nothing will ruin the relationship between us," Jason replied. "What have you done to her?"

"Nothing. She's right here next to me, not really enjoying my company. But I know that you'll want her to come back alive, right?"

"Yes, please don't hurt her."

"So you do care about her. I'm guessing more than just a friend. But anyway, you will hand over a million hours within the next 36 hours or she's dead. We'll call you with more instructions."

~CM~

JJ was at home, looking after her newborn son Henry. He was now two months old, and he looked more like Reid every day. She had just put her son down for his nap when she heard the front door opening.

"Spence? Is that you?" she asked. But the person wasn't her husband. Instead, the person was someone she recognized instantly.

"No! What do you want? Leave me alone!" she said.

The person didn't listen. He grabbed her wrist and held it tightly.

"Listen, Agent Jareau-Reid, you will tell no one that I have come here," Foyet said. "Tell me where Agent Hotchner is."

"Never," she replied.

"Fine then, you asked for it."

He shoved her to the ground, causing her to land hard on her leg. Luckily, the force wasn't big enough to break or fracture the bone.

"Tell me where Agent Hotchner is or you will join Agent Seaver. I bet your husband will pay any amount to get you back unharmed. Now, I'm not going to ask you again. Where is Agent Hotchner?"

"Screw you," JJ snapped. "I'll never tell you."

"Alright then, plan B it is."

Foyet grabbed JJ's wrist as Cruz entered the house. While Foyet kept her restrained, Cruz shoved a cloth over her mouth, which caused her to go unconscious. The two men carried her out to the car and restrained her with zip-ties and duct tape. Cruz put on gloves and pulled out a piece of paper with some typed sentences on it. He walked back into the Reid house and left the paper on the dining room table. The former Section Chief quickly ran out of the house, shutting the door behind him. He headed to the car and joined Foyet, who was already in the driver's seat. The car sped off down the street and towards an unknown location.

Two hours later, Reid arrived at home to find Henry crying and the house empty. The house looked as though no one had been home for a while.

"JJ?" Spencer asked. He quickly headed down to his son's room and picked him up. After changing his diaper and finding a bottle of milk in the fridge, he noticed a piece of paper lying on the table. Reid set his son down on the floor, picked up the note and laid it down on the coffee table. Spencer lifted his son up and sat down on the couch. As the boy was getting feed, Reid read what was on the strange piece of paper. He felt his breath being taken away.

-Hello Spencer,

It's been a while. How have you been? Anyway, that's not the point. As you may have noticed, JJ is not at home. You're lucky that I did nothing to hurt your son. I took JJ while you were at work. But it's time you paid for what you've done to ruin my life. Your wife will be joining the lovely Agent Seaver in an unknown location. You want your wife back? Then you will wire two million dollars to this account number: 3f5d9t within the next 36 hours or you're never going to see her again. I do hope you'll comply with me.

~Ryan


	44. JJ kidnapped and Hotch is screwed

When JJ woke up, she discovered that her hands were unavailable. She was sitting in her chair, unable to free herself. Another blond woman sat tied up in front of her.

"Seaver?!" JJ exclaimed. "What happened to you?"

"They called me on the phone and said they had Nick. But it was just one of those psychos pretending to be him. It was all a trap," Seaver replied. "What happened to you?"

"I had just put Henry down for a nap when I heard the front door open. I thought it was Spencer, but it was Foyet."

"Foyet? Is that the name of one of the psychopaths?"

"Yes, but his real name is George. He stabbed Hotch nine times in the chest and nearly killed him. Foyet was sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder. Anyway, the psycho came into the house and grabbed my wrist. He wanted to know where Hotch was, but I wouldn't say anything. One of Foyet's friends, Cruz, came into the house about a minute later and chloroformed me. When I woke up, I was here in this place. Do you have any idea where we are?"

"No, unfortunately," Seaver replied. "But I did hear them say that we're still in Quantico."

Cruz entered the room, a grin across his face.

"Ladies, let's not talk about how you're going to escape this place because you're not going to. You will remain my prisoners until your ransoms are paid for. But maybe we'll do something else as an incentive for your family members to pay for your releases."

"We weren't even talking about an escape plan!" Seaver snapped. "We will kill you! The team will find us."

Foyet entered the room. "Found Agent Jareau's cell phone, which she must have had on her when we took her. But the team is on their way. We have about two minutes before the FBI are storming into the house and taking away the prisoners."

"Take Agent Jareau with you," Cruz replied. "I have something special planned for her. Agent Seaver can go."

Haley, Ryan, and Mr. Scratch entered the room and grabbed ahold of JJ. After chloroforming and restraining her, they carried her out to the car, but noticed that the FBI was already coming down their street.

"Hurry! They're here!" Haley shouted. Slamming the trunk door shut, the three kidnappers got into the car and sped off down the street before the BAU could do anything. Cruz and Foyet were still inside the house, trying to figure out how they were going to escape without the team catching them.

Cruz escaped through the patio door and took off running, hopping over fences and heading out to the next block, where his friends would pick him up.

At the house, Foyet had engaged in a fight with Seaver, who had stolen his gun and shot him dead. The front door was kicked down and the former profiler heard the sounds of "FBI!"

Hotch and Emily entered the bedroom to find Seaver standing over a dead Foyet with a gun in her hand.

"He was going to kill me!" the blond exclaimed. "It was self-defense."

"You're ok," Hotch replied. "He was going to get the death penalty anyway."

"They took JJ. I don't know where, but they were going to let me go!"

Reid came in a few minutes later. "Hotch, where's JJ?"

"Gone," the Unit Chief replied. "Ryan took her."

The genius was beyond upset. His wife was still missing, and with that psychopath on the loose, trouble would come for her.

~CM~

"Agent Jareau-Reid, welcome to your new home," Haley sneered. "The place where we're going to keep you hidden until your husband pays for your ransom. But even if he pays us money, it will never be enough. You're never going to leave here. Ryan has such a good plan for you."

"What do you want from me? Why did you let Seaver go, but not me?" JJ asked. She had woken up in this strange place and was now having to stand, but her wrists were handcuffed above her.

"Because Ryan wants you to join our team. He thinks you'd be a very valuable asset in helping to bring down the BAU."

"I would never help you! I won't! The BAU is my family! I have a husband who's probably worried sick about me right now. I won't say anything, just please let me go!"

"Why would I? The plan has already been set into motion. Nothing is going to stop Ryan. Once he starts something, nothing stops him. You will pay for your part in putting us behind bars. Mr. Scratch, can you send Ryan in?"

"Yes, Ms. Brooks," the unsub replied, walking off to another part of the house. A couple of minutes later, Ryan and Lewis came back into the room. Mr. Scratch held a plastic container in his hand. The container looked like something you would store poison inside of. On the end was a thin white nozzle.

"It begins now," Lewis said, pressing a button and spraying some liquid into JJ's face.

~CM~

Strauss was at home taking care of her daughter. Rossi was out at the house where Seaver had been held captive in.

Erin held the little girl in her arms, giving her a bottle of milk. But the four-month old baby began to fuss.

"Ssh, Alyse, calm down," Strauss said. "Daddy's going to be home soon."

Suddenly, the front door opened. But the Section Chief was getting an odd feeling.

"Dave, is that you? You're home early," she said.

However, it was a man dressed in black. There was something familiar about this man, though.

Erin let out a scream, but the figure pulled out a knife.

"Scream again and you're never going to see the light of day again," he threatened. "You'll tell that husband of yours that I've come back from the dead and for him to be ready when I strike. You'll be wishing that you never messed with me."

He turned and walked out of the house, leaving a terrified Strauss behind. He felt his phone ringing.

"Yes?" he asked. "What do you want?"

"Excuse me, but that is no way to talk to the man who hired you. Get your butt back here before Rossi comes over there and murders you," Ryan's voice said on the other end of the line. "JJ is ready for her first assignment. You should come and see what we've done with her."

~CM~

That night after work was over, Hotch decided that he was going to go out to a bar and have a couple of drinks. Rossi said he would try and meet up, but he didn't know if Strauss would need him to stay home and look after Alyse.

"Hello Aaron," a voice said. "What brings you here at this time of the night?"

"Beth," he replied. "I thought we weren't supposed to see each other until tomorrow. My wife will kill me if she finds out you're here."

"Oh Aaron, she doesn't have to know. I really like being your running partner. You want to come back to my house and have a better drink?"

"No thank you; I have to go home to my wife. She's expecting me."

Hotch set a few dollar bills on the counter to pay for the one drink he had, then started walking over to the exit.

"Wait, Aaron," he heard Beth call. "I need to talk to you about something. Can we meet in the alley?"

"About what?"

"Tomorrow. I'm going to be a little late since I have to take my dog to the vet."

Hotch was distracted for a second, but that little time was more than enough for Beth to slam him against the doorframe and kiss him.

Aaron couldn't believe what had just happened. He shoved Beth aside and said on his way out to the parking lot, "Don't call me again."

Little did he know that a figure had been watching the entire scene from a distance. They smiled, then decided to make Aaron's life even more painful…

Meanwhile, at home, Emily was sitting on the couch, putting a hand on her pregnant belly. The day had been an exhausting one since there had been no leads as to where Ryan could have taken JJ.

The brunette's phone buzzed, and she saw that an unknown person had texted her.

-Hello Emily. It's been a while, but anyway, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to show you something I saw earlier this evening. I bet this is going to be the top headline in the newspaper tomorrow.-

After a couple of seconds, another text had come through.

-FBI BOSS CHEATS ON WIFE.-

Emily's heart dropped to the floor after reading the all-caps text. A few seconds later, a picture appeared on her phone. She couldn't believe what she saw.

It was a photo of Hotch and Beth kissing outside the bar.

Emily began to cry. The tears began running down her face, and they continued to fall even after Hotch walked through the door.

"Emily?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

He tried to sit down next to her, but she just stood up and glared at her husband.

"Don't you ever speak to me again. I hate you," she snapped. "How could you betray me like this, Hotch? How could you leave me for your running partner?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, completely confused.

"Don't try and deny it. I just a picture of you kissing Beth outside the bar. You know what? I'm done. I want a divorce."

"Emily-"

"Shut up Hotch. You can talk to me tomorrow to start getting things settled. I'm going to stay with Erin tonight."

Emily grabbed her purse and slammed the door behind her.

The Unit Chief put his head in his hands. He needed to tell his wife that Beth kissed him. But he didn't know if he could. And how was this going to affect work tomorrow and the days to come?


	45. Making up and JJ is under control

Emily pulled her car up in front of the Rossi household. She had been crying the whole way there, astounded that the husband she loved so much would cheat on her. And for his running partner, no less!

The brunette tried to dry some of her tears away as she knocked on the door.

"Rossi, Erin, it's me, Emily," she said.

The older man opened the dark wooden door and saw her standing on the front porch.

"Emily? What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's...it's Hotch. I need to tell you something."

Rossi stepped aside and let the woman enter.

"Dave? Who's there?" came Erin's voice.

"It's just Emily," he replied.

"Is everything ok?"

"Not sure."

Emily sat down on the couch, beginning to cry again.

"What's wrong?" Dave asked, sitting down next to her. Erin was sitting across from them, cuddling Alyse.

"Hotch...Hotch cheated on me with Beth," the brunette said.

"What? He cheated on you?"

"Yes. I received a text message from someone this evening, and it was a picture of my husband kissing that woman. How could he do this to me? How could he do this to our baby?"

"I'm going to be having a serious talk with him tomorrow. He'll be wishing that he never did what he did."

~CM~

The next morning, Hotch awoke, his face still red from crying. He cried until he fell asleep. He was still in his work clothes from yesterday.

He couldn't believe that he had lost Emily. He missed her so much that it hurt emotionally. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry and it wasn't his fault. But now, he didn't know if he would ever be able to speak to her again. He had no idea what the workday was going to look like with two team members fighting.

He knew that the bar had security cameras on the outside, so he called Garcia.

"Hotch? What's up?" she asked.

"I need you to do me a favor. Are you at work yet?"

"I just signed in. What do you need me to do?"

"You remember me saying that I was going to the bar last night? The only bar in the city?"

"Yes."

"I need you to access the security camera feeds from around nine PM. Emily thinks I cheated on her with Beth, but I didn't. This could be the one thing that repairs everything."

"You cheated on Emily?"

"No. I would never."

"Alright. I'm in my room. I'll access the cameras and text you when I have them."

Hotch said goodbye, then took a shower and got ready for work. A knock was heard on the door. Answering it, he saw that Rossi was standing on the front porch.

"Rossi? What are you doing here this early in the morning?" the Unit Chief asked.

"I came to pick up Emily's clothes for her. What the heck, Hotch! How could you cheat on her?" Rossi snapped.

"I didn't cheat on her! Garcia's doing something for me, and it will prove that I didn't do it. I love Emily, now why would I cheat on her?"

"I don't know, maybe it's because your running partner is very attractive?"

Hotch received a text from Garcia saying that she had found the security camera feeds from last night.

~CM~

Two hours later, everyone was in the conference room minus Hotch and JJ. He was running through in his head what he was going to say to Emily in a minute.

"Emily, Hotch wants to see you in his office," Rossi said. "It is mandatory that you go."

"But I don't want to see him," she replied. "Especially not after what he did to me."

"Agent Prentiss," Rossi continued, his tone of voice changing. "You are to speak with Agent Hotchner. Now."

Emily got off her chair and angrily walked out of the conference room towards her boss's office. She opened the door, the scowl still across her face.

"What do you want?" she asked. "I told you I don't want you to talk to me again."

"I am still your boss," Hotch said. "And I don't want to break up this team. Not after what we've been through and are going through right now. I have evidence to show you. Please just hear me out."

"Fine," she replied, sitting down.

He pulled out his phone and showed her the footage from outside the bar last night. Emily was shocked to see her husband trying to get away after Beth kissed him.

"You...you never cheated?" Emily said. She was starting to cry again.

"No," he replied. "Never. You are too important to me, Em. I can't lose you. I already lost one wife and I don't want to lose another."

She got off her chair and hugged him. She continued to cry.

"Am I forgiven?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "Don't scare me like that ever again."

"I'm not going anywhere. You won't lose me."

She gave him what she called a 'make-up, we're back together' kiss. The moment was so peaceful that they didn't even hear someone knock on the door and open it.

Morgan had been sent to retrieve the two agents, but stopped dead in his tracks.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," he said, blushing. "I'll come back later."

He quickly began running back towards the conference room, completely embarrassed.

"I love you," Hotch said to his wife.

"I love you too."

"You ready to go back out in the field?"

"More than ready."

Emily held his hand all the way back to the conference room, where the remaining team members were smiling.

"I see that you two made up," came Rossi's response.

"Yes. It was just a misunderstanding," Emily replied. "It shouldn't be happening again."

~CM~

JJ opened her eyes, but all she wanted was to pass out so she didn't have to feel the pain. Mr. Scratch had only sprayed her with a hallucination drug, but it wasn't enough. Haley would often come in and spray her with a garden hose.

But today, there was something different about the drug. After Mr. Scratch gave her another dose, she felt a strange sensation in her head. She stared at the unsub sitting in front of her.

"Hello Jennifer," the unsub said. "Welcome to the team."

"My head…" she mumbled. "My head hurts."

"We can get you some pain medication for that. But anyway, do you like your new team? You can call me Mr. Scratch."

"Yes, Sir, I like my team. I'm sure I can get along with them."

"That's good because Mr. Ryan is going to be your partner. He'll be training you for what is to come."

"And what will be happening?"

"You'll have to wait and see. I can't tell you everything now or you'll have the surprise ruined. But anyway, Ryan is waiting outside this room. He has your first assignment ready for you."

"I'm ready to accept my assignment, Mr. Scratch."

"Good. Ryan, she's ready."

Max entered the room with a Glock 17.

"Fully-loaded weapon," he said. "This is for you."

JJ accepted the weapon and soon began following Ryan out to a vehicle parked across the street from the house. She got into the passenger seat, clutching the gun close to her. She wasn't going to let the weapon out of her sight.

Fifteen minutes later, the vehicle pulled up in front of the BAU.

"There is a traitor among your former team," Ryan said. "You are to remove them."

"Yes Sir," JJ replied, tucking the gun into her pocket and making sure the credentials were clearly visible.

She signed herself in without arousing any suspicion and quickly headed to the sixth floor. She hoped that none of her former team would notice her. But her worst nightmare was coming her way.

Reid entered the elevator and gasped when he saw his wife standing there. He hugged her tightly, but JJ didn't really care. After the elevator doors closed, the blond turned away and attached a silencer to the end of her Glock.

"JJ, what are you doing?" he asked.

She turned to face him, pure hate filling her eyes.

"You're the traitor!" she snapped. "I won't allow it!"

"JJ, what-"

But Reid didn't get a chance to finish because his wife pulled the trigger. A bullet whizzed through the air and hit him in the lower abdomen.

"I'm sorry, Spencer," she said. "But I had to do what I had to do."

When the elevator reached the ground floor, she left Reid alone and stepped onto the main floor, where she spotted the rest of the team entering the building.

"JJ? Is that you?" Morgan asked.

But she just ignored him and glared at her team with the pure hate still in her eyes.

"Leave me alone," she snapped. "I'm not the person I used to be."

Hotch saw that Reid had managed to begin to drag himself out of the elevator, but the doors were starting to close. Two security guard quickly reacted and stopped the doors from closing and allowed Reid to drag himself onto the main floor.

"Spencer! Oh no, who did this to you?" Kate asked in shock.

"JJ," he replied. "JJ shot me."


	46. New team members and deals

Beth sat on her couch, furious. Aaron Hotchner was hers. He didn't belong to that stupid brunette he called his wife. Beth wanted him all to herself.

So when she got a phone call from an unknown number that evening, she thought it might be him calling from a burner.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Yes, is this Ms. Clemmons?" the voice replied.

"Um, who is this?"

"I'm a man who has a very interesting offer. I saw you outside the bar earlier this evening kissing that FBI agent. Well, as it turns out, I also want him. For a different reason, of course. I'm straight. Anyway, my offer is that I will give you Aaron Hotchner if you deliver his wife over to me. I'll make sure you'll get what you want."

"What's the catch?"

"There's no catch. I'll also offer you 20 thousand dollars if you join me and my friends."

"20 thousand? I'll take it."

"Good. I'll send you instructions later this evening so you know where to meet up with me."

Beth said goodbye to the mysterious man, then began to grin evilly. Hotchner would be hers. And his wife-if needed-would be removed from the picture. Also, she'd be 20 thousand dollars richer.

Time could not come fast enough. Her heart was pounding with excitement.

~CM~

The man quickly headed back to Headquarters. He wanted to see what Ryan had meant when he had been talking about JJ. The man was preparing to get his revenge on Rossi for almost killing him three years ago.

"Mr. Curtis, glad you could join us on such short notice," Ryan said after the man was on the front porch. "She's right this way."

Curtis followed his boss into another room of the large house. In the room was a blond woman, dressed in a suit jacket and skirt. A gun was in her hand and she looked like she could be deadly.

"Mr. Curtis, meet Jennifer Jareau. She is an FBI agent who is willing to help bring down the BAU. She is proven to have a clean shot after she shot her husband in cold-blood. However, the husband is still alive, which may bring on some complications."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Curtis," JJ said, shaking his hand.

"Please, call me John," he replied. "I'm the newest member of the team. We will also have another woman joining us later this evening to complete a mission."

"Ryan, could I go use the restroom?" JJ asked. "It's urgent."

He signaled that she could go, and she immediately took off.

Once she got into the bathroom, she looked at herself in the mirror and felt this pain in her head. It almost felt like a migraine, but for some reason, the pain was a bit worse.

She no longer heard Lewis's voice telling her what to do. She remembered seeing herself pulling out a gun and shooting Reid. Shooting her own husband.

The guilt was starting to kill her. She needed to tell Reid that she was being told to by a voice in her head. She needed to get out of this building now. But Ryan would become suspicious and start searching for her. She came up with a plan: pretend to be under mind-control and head to the BAU, and when she got there-with none of the unsubs around-she'd reveal what happened to Hotch so that hopefully the unsubs would be brought down. JJ knew this plan was somewhat risky, but it was the best. She was trying to save her life and also trying to protect the team she cared about so much.

JJ walked out of the bathroom feeling refreshed and more energetic. Whatever drug had been introduced made her feel younger. She felt like she would be able to do more things. But the drug wasn't permanent, which disappointed the profiler. It was time to bring down the unsubs and throw them back into prison where they belonged. She wasn't sure if Foyet was in the house or already had been taken to the BAU.

~CM~

Reid opened his eyes to a brightly-lit room. His head was hurting a bit and he felt stiff.

"Pretty Boy, welcome back," Morgan said to his best friend. "We thought we had lost you for a minute there."

"What happened? Where am I?" the genius asked.

"You were shot in the lower abdomen. You were bleeding quite a bit and the paramedics almost lost you in the ambulance. Do you remember who shot you?"

"It was JJ. How could she do this to me?"

"We're still trying to figure that out. We think that JJ may have been told to do it. Someone must have threatened her. Probably Ryan. We have no idea where he is."

"Will I make a full recovery?"

"Yes you will; the bullet didn't hit anything too major. You almost nicked an artery, but the doctors were able to get the bullet out before it caused you to bleed out."

"I need to see JJ. Did you catch her after she shot me?"

"No, she took off running for the parking lot and disappeared into a black sedan. We couldn't catch the license plate. But we will find her, I promise. We will get her back."

~CM~

Beth pulled her car up in front of the abandoned house. She had received instructions to arrive her at eight this evening. She was ten minutes early.

She parked the car in the driveway and made sure that her vehicle was camouflaged by the night sky. She walked up to the doorway and knocked.

"Who's there?" shouted a voice from inside.

"It's Beth. Beth Clemmons," she said.

The door opened to reveal a man with dark hair and a blond-haired woman.

"Come in," the man replied. "Ryan is looking forward to meeting you. Your money has been delivered to the house."

Beth followed him and the woman into another room, where Ryan was lazing around in his chair. When he saw Beth, he smiled and revealed a large bag, filled to the brim with cash.

"Welcome, Ms. Clemmons," Ryan said. "I was the man who called you on the phone. I look forward to you joining us and completing more missions. We have lost a dear friend of ours to those idiot profilers, so we are looking for a replacement."

"What do you want me to do first?"

"You will abduct Emily from the hospital and bring her to me. That way, Agent Hotchner will be suffering from losing his wife-for the second time. Then, when he is forced to go home for the evening, he will be all yours."


	47. The missions

"Ryan, I can go with Beth to make sure the mission is complete," JJ said to her boss. "I'll make sure that Agent Prentiss-Hotchner will comply with us and will join the team."

"That's even better," Ryan replied. "Go bring that agent back to me now."

The two women left the house and headed out to the car. Beth was becoming even more excited because in about a half hour, she would have the man she loved right beside her. And she wasn't going to let him go.

~CM~

Haley was out on another mission-eliminating the people that Gideon cared about. First on the list was Elle. The blond woman would do anything for her boss as long as she got money.

She pulled up to the Gideon household and walked up to the porch. She knocked on the door and was greeted by Seaver.

"Yes? Can I help you with something?" the former profiler asked.

"Yes you can."

Haley pulled a gun and shot Seaver. The agent fell to the foyer floor, clutching her abdomen. Haley had purposely shot the profiler in a spot where she wouldn't bleed to death.

"Ashley?" Elle asked, wheeling into the room. "Oh no, Ashley!"

"Say goodbye, Agent Greenaway," Haley said. "You're never going to see anyone you love ever again."

The trigger was pulled again, and Elle felt the bullet hit her in the chest. She tried to reach for the phone to dial 911, but it was too late.

The brunette was gone.

Haley made sure to leave Seaver alive so there would be a witness. But the blond agent managed to stand up and engage in a brief fight with the intruder. In the end, Haley was dead and Seaver was crawling over to the phone lying on the coffee table.

"Hello?" Gideon asked, answering the call.

"Jason…" Seaver said, having a little trouble breathing. "There's been a home invasion. I'm alive, but have been shot in the abdomen. It was Haley. She came in here and attacked me, then went after Elle."

"Oh no, Elle. Is she ok?"

"No. I'm sorry, but Haley shot her. She didn't make it."

"I'll...I'll be sending help over there right now."

~CM~

Gideon ended the call and threw his phone on the ground, watching it slam into pieces. He broke down crying and headed into the bathroom so that the team didn't have to watch him hurt emotionally.

"Jason?" Hotch asked, leaving Reid's bedside and headed to check on his co-worker. "What happened?"

"Haley...Haley invaded my home and shot Ashley and murdered Elle," Gideon said, continuing to cry. "I want Ryan dead so he can rot away for what he did."

Hotch pulled Jason into a comforting hug. But the moment was interrupted by a scream coming from the hallway. The Unit Chief immediately recognized the scream as Emily's. His instincts kicked in and he ran out of the bathroom to find Beth holding his wife at gunpoint.

"Hello Aaron," Beth said. "It's good to see you again."

"What are you doing here?" Hotch snapped. "Let her go."

"I don't think so," came another voice.

JJ stepped into the hallway after she rounded the corner.

"You see, Agent Hotchner, Emily is just a piece of the bigger puzzle. She is one of the final pieces we need. So, no, we are not letting her go. Beth, take Agent Prentiss out to the car. I have to say a few words to her husband alone."

Beth took Emily out to the vehicle and restrained her. Meanwhile, in the hospital, Hotch kept staring at his co-worker in horror.

"Hotch…" JJ said, breaking down. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was drugged into shooting Reid and now Emily's abduction. I was being mind-controlled by one of the team. There's been some new people joining the team."

"You...you were mind-controlled?"

"Yes. And I'm never going to forgive myself for shooting my own husband. I feel so guilty, but I couldn't do anything. I'm back to my normal self now. I've come to tell you the location of the headquarters and who's on the team. The newest members are Beth, a man who only goes by the name Mr. Scratch, and John Curtis."

"The Replicator? I thought he died in the explosion!"

"I guess not. But anyway, I have to go back to the headquarters and try and figure out these unsubs. If you see me looking like I'm betraying you or the others, I'm just fooling the unsubs. I will help you bring them down. I'll make sure they rot away. I'm sorry, but Emily does have to come with me. I'll make sure she comes back alive."

"I trust you, JJ. Bring her back safely."

The blond profiler ran outside to join Beth.

"Ready to go?" the brunette asked.

"Yes," JJ said, then delivering a punch to Beth's face and knocking her out cold.

The profiler handcuffed Beth and called Hotch and Strauss.

~CM~

Fifteen minutes later, Beth was locked in the back of a police car and being taken to prison, where she would serve time for threatening an FBI agent and participating in the attempted kidnapping of another federal agent.

Ryan, Lewis, Curtis, and Cruz were watching a scene from a distance, out of the sight of any other cars. The men were angry that three assets were gone, especially Haley. She had been a very important team member, and now the plan was starting to fail because the FBI was closing in on them. It wouldn't be long before all of them ended up back in prison or already dead.

"Gentlemen," Ryan said. "We're going to need a plan B. The mind-control drugs didn't work, so we're going to have to double the dosage on the next victim. I wouldn't mind having another FBI agent join the team. Anyone agree?"

"I totally agree," Lewis replied. "How about Agent Hotchner? He seems like he would be the perfect addition."

"And that would make Gideon suffer even more!" Curtis exclaimed, completely excited that a new plan was being put into effect. "Now that he's lost his wife, he would hurt even more if he loses one of his closest friends."

"So, when do we begin with Agent Hotchner?"

"Tomorrow. Then, the games will begin and nothing will stop us."


	48. He can love again

Gideon was the first person to get in the car and drive back to his house. Hotch and Emily got in the backseat, with Emily placing her gun on top of her pregnant belly. If she was outside her house, she would always have a gun on top of her belly to show that she was not only protecting herself, but also protecting her baby.

The car pulled into the driveway a few minutes later, the house swarmed with police cars and CSRU. An ambulance was parked next to the curb and two paramedics were carrying Seaver out of the house. Gideon walked into the house and found both Haley and Elle's bodies. He walked over to his wife and after the CSIs took some pictures, he cuddled her body close and cried. He was never going to see her again and tell her how much she meant to him. Gideon watched as she was put into a body bag and being taken out to the Medical Examiner's van. Hotch entered the house and found his best friend sitting on the couch crying his eyes out.

"She's really gone, Hotch. What am I going to do without her? What will I tell Stephen and Phoebe?" Jason asked.

"You'll just have to tell them that their mother got into a fight with a bad guy and tried her best, but couldn't do it," Hotch replied. "We will get him, Jason. I'll make sure he's executed before he gets a chance to be arrested."

~CM~

A week later, Ashley was released from the hospital after getting the bullet removed from her abdomen. She was expected to make a full recovery and the bullet missed her spinal cord completely. She felt very lucky to be alive. But she had just returned home from Elle's funeral. It had been a very emotional time, especially for Gideon. He could barely speak, much less give the eulogy. He didn't know how he was going to survive without her.

Seaver unlocked the front door, but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a female voice coming from the back end of the house.

"Oh Nick, thanks for inviting me over," the woman said. "I had such a great time."

"No problem sweetheart," he replied.

Ashley was horrified. She saw Nick walking out of the family room with another woman by his side.

The blond felt tears forming in her eyes.

"You!" she snapped, the anger forming. "How could you do this to me? You knew how emotional this time was and now you cheat on me! You know what? Go be with her because I don't care. We're over. Get out of my apartment by tomorrow morning."

Nick just smiled and left with the woman by his side. The two of them headed out to his car and soon backed out of the driveway.

As soon as the car was gone, Ashley picked up the phone and dialed the first number she could think of.

"Hello?" Gideon asked.

"Boss...it's Seaver. Could you come over for a few minutes? I just really need some comfort right now," she replied.

"Alright, let me drop Stephen and Phoebe off at the neighbors. I'll be five minutes, maybe six or seven."

After the phone call ended, Ashley sat down on the couch and suddenly felt herself starting to panic.

Oh no, it can't be, she thought. I'm in love with Gideon.

She knew she couldn't have feelings for him. After all, he was the one who paid her to look after his wife while he worked. And he was still grieving over Elle's death.

But Ashley wanted to tell him how she felt. She wouldn't ever think about breaking up a marriage.

When he knocked on the door, her heart was racing. She didn't know what was going to happen and she didn't want to know what would happen if she kissed her boss. Would he be disgusted and run away, never wanting to see her again.

"Seaver," he said after she opened the door. He noticed that her face was still red from crying. "Are you alright?"

"Not really," she replied. "Please come in, I need to tell you something."

Gideon entered her house and set his keys on her coffee table. He then sat down on the couch and she walked over to him.

"Seaver, please, tell me what's wrong," he said. "Have you been crying?"

"Yes I have. I've been crying because my boyfriend cheated on me with another woman. He knew these times were very emotional and he still betrayed me! How could he do such a thing?"

"I don't know. But if you need help or support, I'm here. I'll always be here for you."

"There's something else," Seaver said. "But I don't know if I can say it. It's very personal and it could affect our friendship."

"Tell me. You can tell me anything."

"I...I'm in love with you," she said quickly.

Seaver looked away, completely embarrassed. "I didn't want to say it, since I know-"

But she was cut off from saying anything else. She suddenly noticed that Gideon was kissing her.

"I...I wasn't expecting that," she confessed. "But it was great."

"After Elle passed away a week ago, I saw how you were always there for me. I started falling in love with you a few days ago. I never thought our friendship would come to this," Gideon said. "I will always love Elle, but I know she's telling me that this is ok."

Seaver and Gideon kissed again. He never thought he would find love this quickly after losing the woman he loved more than his own life, but he wasn't going to live in grief anymore.

"Ashley, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow at my house?" he asked.

"Yes, I would love to," she replied.

~CM~

Ryan sat in his car outside Seaver's house. He had been watching the former profiler for a while and wondered if she would be a useful asset.

Cruz sat in the passenger seat while Lewis was sitting in the back of the car. Mr. Scratch became aware of a thumping noise in the trunk and decide to investigate.

The unsub got out of the car and over to the trunk. Opening the door, he smiled at the man who was currently restrained with zip-ties and a cloth.

"Agent Hotchner," Lewis said. "You really must remain quiet. Otherwise, Ryan is going to shoot you. You don't want that to happen, now do you?"

Hotch shook his head no.

"Good. Well, you might want to find a comfortable position. It's going to be another couple of hours."

Lewis slammed the trunk door shut and got back in the car.

"Gentlemen," Ryan said to his assets. "It has begun."


	49. Pregnancies and Hotch in the danger zone

Hotch heard the car door slam shut and knew he was in trouble. It was his third time getting taken, and he still couldn't find a way to free himself.

Emily, he thought. Are you alright?

He hoped that his wife hadn't been hurt. If any one of the unsubs had done something that put his wife in danger, he would kill all of them.

After what seemed like hours, the car finally pulled off to the side of the road. Hotch kept thinking about how he ended up in the back of this car and how much more cautious he should have been…

_Hotch had just arrived home from Elle's funeral and was preparing to make his pregnant wife some more food. Ever since she passed the five-month mark, she was constantly eating to satisfy her cravings._

_But when he pulled up in front of his house, he suddenly got the feeling that something was wrong. He pulled out his gun and searched the entire front yard, but there was no one around._

_He heard the front door open and saw Emily walk out of the house. She had officially hit the sixth-month mark yesterday, and her belly continued to get bigger every passing day._

_She started walking towards him, but suddenly saw a figure approaching her husband._

_"Hotch, look out!" she said, but it was too late._

_He turned to look behind him but was hit in the face with something metal. He fell to the ground, temporarily stunned and unable to get up._

_The unsub took out a gun and fired a shot. The bullet missed Emily and hit the wall, not even creating a dent. She stopped dead in her tracks, afraid that she had been shot._

_"Don't even think about calling for help, Mrs. Hotchner," the unsub said. "Or would you rather be responsible for the deaths of your husband and unborn daughter?"_

_Emily quickly nodded her head no. She was completely frozen, feeling so terrified that her husband would be dead._

_"Alright then," the unsub said. "Then if you do what I tell you to do, no one will get hurt. The first thing you'll do is that you'll tell no one of what just happened. Second, you're going to go in your house and pretend nothing bad is happening. I want you to remain calm, otherwise you're going to put stress on your baby."_

_Emily put a hand on her belly, feeling her daughter kick at that very moment. She was doing everything she could to protect her family._

_"Now, I need your husband for a special mission, but if I bring you along, then the mission won't go the way I want it to go," the unsub said. "You are to continue your job and looking after your daughter as though nothing bad has happened. You will tell no one on the team about what's happening with Hotch. Otherwise, they're all going to be dead and it will be your fault. Do you understand me?"_

_Emily nodded her head._

_"Good. Now go back inside the house and continue on with your day. Don't bother searching for your husband because he won't be coming back until I'm through with him. And that might be awhile."_

_For the next week, Hotch was taken to a separate house outside Quantico and kept in the basement, until he was forced to go back in the car trunk so that Ryan could watch Seaver._

Now, the car was parked in front of the unknown house. Mr. Scratch had opened the trunk door and held the canister of his mind-control drug.

"We're so glad you could join us, Agent Hotchner," Lewis said. "We're going to have so much fun."

The unsub pressed a button, releasing the drug and causing it to hit Hotch in the face. After the Unit Chief was knocked out, Curtis and Ryan carried him into the house and down to the basement. The two criminals forced the unconscious Hotch to stand on his feet while having his hands chained above him. Ryan made sure the chains were stronger because Hotch managed to break them and escape last time. But Max was making sure that Hotch REALLY suffered this time. The third time was the charm.

It would only take about five minutes for the drug to work its magic, so Lewis prepared a second dose, which was even stronger than the first one. Hotch would most certainly comply this time and the team was making sure that he would obey their commands.

~CM~

Garcia watched her husband head out the front door, and once it was closed, she immediately ran down the hall to the bathroom. It had been a year-and-a-half almost since they had been married, and Morgan had recently brought up the subject of starting their own family. Garcia had been a little unsure, due to the fact that their jobs were stressful and there were four psychopathic killers on the loose.

She had gotten symptoms of what she thought might be pregnancy, so she secretly bought a test at the pharmacy yesterday. Now, the timer for the results had gone off, so she closed her eyes and picked up the test.

She opened her eyes and looked at the lines on the test. A horizontal equal sign meant pregnancy and a vertical equal sign meant the opposite.

Garcia saw that her test showed a horizontal equal sign.

"Oh my…" she said to her reflection in the mirror. "I'm pregnant. What am I going to say to Morgan when he comes back? I mean, I'm not very far along, but I will start to show in the next few months. I guess I should tell him when he gets back."

Garcia also remembered that she had a couple spare pregnancy tests in the bottom vanity drawer, so she also used them as well. All three tests came back positive.

Fifteen minutes later, she heard Morgan come back into the house.

"Babygirl, I'm home," he said. "I bought the cans of crushed tomatoes you like."

"Thanks, my Chocolate Thunder," she replied. "I do have some news."

He set the cans down on the dining room table, then turned his attention to his wife.

"What news?" he asked.

"Well, remember the conversation about starting a family?"

"Yes."

"Well, we're going to be starting one in seven months."

Morgan smiled, understanding what she was telling him.

"I love you, Sweetness," he said, kissing her. Then he focused on the little miracle inside her.

"Hello in there little one, I'm your daddy and I'm looking forward to meeting you."

~CM~

The next day at work, Erin was a little worried about Hotch because he hadn't shown up to work in a week. She was going to call him and ask why he wasn't doing his job. But she needed to find Rossi first.

Morgan and Garcia entered the bullpen a little earlier than normal. Reid was still at home for another few days to rest up from his injury.

Kate and Blake were coming out of the breakroom, cups of coffee in their hands. JJ was the next person to enter, with Seaver and Gideon behind her.

"I have some news," Jason said once the team gathered around the bulletin board. "Seaver is going to be re-joining the team."

"And we're going out," Ashley replied. "I know it seems very quick, but he had the same feelings for me as I did for him."

The team was a little shocked, but they were more than happy to welcome Seaver back onto the team.

"We have an announcement," Garcia said, grabbing ahold of Morgan's hand. "We're expecting our first child in seven months."

"And I'm pregnant too," Strauss joined in.

Rossi cracked a smile, then embraced his wife. He couldn't believe that he was going to be a father again.

The rest of the team said their congratulations, then went back to work on figuring out where Hotch was.

~CM~

The Unit Chief opened his eyes again. He had just received his second dose of the drug, now having no clue that he was under mind-control.

"Agent Hotchner," Lewis said. "Welcome to the team."


	50. A Rite of Passage

***A/N: Wow, I hit 50 chapters! I can't believe I made it this far! You guys are awesome!* :)**

Hotch's mind was going crazy. He didn't know what he was going to do. He tried to move but found that he was unable.

"You can't move," Lewis said. "That's because I say you can't."

"Ugggh," the Unit Chief mumbled, feeling the first signs of a headache coming on.

"What happened?" he asked, but no words came out.

"You do as I say," the unsub replied. "And that means you aren't allowed to talk right now."

Hotch stayed silent as he waited for the first set of instructions.

"You will kill every member of your team. And you're going to do it with your own gun."

"No I won't!" the Unit Chief said. "I will never do that!"

"Oh yes you will," Lewis replied. "You are now under my control."

Hotch suddenly felt a pain in his head, causing him to cry out.

"That shows that I own you," came the response. "That shows me that the drugs are working. You are under my control."

"I won't do what you say!" Hotch snapped. "You will never control me!"

"Oh I already have. You can't do anything about it."

Hotch felt the same pain rip through his head, causing him to cry out once again.

"Scream all you want, but no one is here to save you," Lewis sneered. "Your team is never going to find you. Not even your precious wife will be able to do anything to save you."

"I'm not being controlled!" Hotch said. "I can't feel anything!"

"That's because the drugs are slow-acting. They won't be settling in for another couple of hours. In the meantime, you can say goodbye to your wife and team. We'll be giving them a call right now."

Hotch saw Curtis-the John Curtis who died years ago-enter the room with a cell phone in his hand.

"Curtis!" the Unit Chief said in horror. "You were dead!"

"Not really," Curtis said. "And you are to only call me The Replicator! I am not dead and will be helping to bringing down the BAU. Rossi and Blake are the ones going to be paying for what they did to me."

"What did Blake and Rossi ever do to you?"

"Well, Blake screwed up my life years ago and Rossi trapped me in the room with the bomb. I took shelter and managed to escape. But this time, escape will not be an option."

"They'll kill you all!" Hotch shouted. "My team will kill you!"

"Ha. Nice try, Agent Hotchner, but they can't save you know," Ryan sneered. "No one is coming for you. Oh yea, I remember watching you trying to take down that one unsub with an MP5 and an ATV. What was his name again?"

"Ronald Boyd," Hotch said. "What's so special about him?"

"I watched you engage in a battle with your team members. You are lucky that Morgan had that MP5 or he and your wife would have died."

~CM~

FLASHBACK TWO WEEKS AGO

Ronald Boyd was a serial killer who targeted people trying to cross the border from Mexico into the US. The BAU had managed to track them down and Hotch, Morgan, Rossi, and Emily were on their way to find the unsub.

Morgan had said a quick goodbye to Garcia, then headed out to one of the cars, where Emily was already in the driver's seat.

Hotch was in the other car waiting for his co-worker. Inside the police station, Strauss spotted her husband leaving and stopped him on his way out.

"Wait, before you go," she said. "I love you."

She kissed him. "Be safe."

"I will," he replied. "Love you too."

Rossi kissed her again, then hurried out of the police station to the car.

After driving for about ten minutes, Hotch pulled up in front of a run-down looking barn.

"Try not to shoot through the window," Hotch said.

"You mean try not to make you deaf?" Rossi replied.

Hotch nodded, then thought about the car explosion that rendered him temporarily deaf for a few weeks. This happened about two years before he met Emily.

The Unit Chief and Rossi stepped out of the car with weapons in their hands. They looked around for any signs of the unsub but found none.

Until the sounds of gunfire rang out, causing the two profilers to duck behind some metal for cover.

"The gun's at the front!" Hotch shouted. A bright light then shone in front of his eyes, causing him to blink a few times. But he saw that the light was only his wedding band reflecting the sunlight.

Meanwhile, Morgan and Emily were only twenty seconds. He had his MP5 gun in his hands while Emily was driving the car. Her daughter kicked, but Emily only gently patted her bump. She was going on maternity leave in three months and SSA Kate Joyner would take her place until she came back.

However, Hotch and Rossi were unable to fire because there was a smoke screen created by the bullets hitting the ground and kicking up dust.

"You can fire the shot!" the Unit Chief shouted.

"I can't see anything!" Rossi replied.

More bullets were flying through the air and both profilers saw the unsub coming out of the barn...on an ATV. The man wasn't planning on stopping anytime soon.

He then began firing at Emily and Morgan's vehicle. Hotch gasped in horror, hoping that his wife hadn't been hit.

"Emily, look out!" Morgan shouted, his hands securing the gun.

"I've got him!" she said. But the unsub fired off a shot, narrowly missing her head as it shot through the glass.

But Morgan wanted to protect her. So, he picked up the gun and started firing bullets through the windshield. Eventually, he fired enough bullets that the unsub died.

The four profilers walked over to their unsub to make sure he was truly dead, which he was. Three bullets to the chest, to be exact.

~CM~

PRESENT DAY

Hotch awoke, the memory fading from his mind. He awoke to a strange sensation, something that he had never felt before. Was it just a trick or was this hallucination real?

In front of him, his entire team was dead, including Emily. He held the gun in his hands, the one that had ended their lives. Hotch dropped the weapon on the ground and ran for his life.

"No!" he screamed. "It can't be!"

"What can't it be, Agent Hotchner?" Lewis asked.

"My team...my team...they're all dead. I killed them."

"No you didn't. It was just a hallucination. That's just a side effect of the drug you've been given. Now, I'm going to ask you the question again. Are you ready to eliminate your team members?"

"Yes," Hotch said, his tone serious and without caution.

"Excellent. I have loaded up on weapons so that we'll never run out of things to defend ourselves. Welcome to the team. I really hope you'll like it here."

"I think I will."

~CM~

Emily arrived early at the BAU the next morning. She noticed that only Erin and Rossi were there, and she wanted to tell them what had happened to Hotch.

"Agent Prentiss-Hotchner," Strauss said to her team member. "Where is Agent Hotchner?"

"He was kidnapped about a week ago," Emily replied, starting to break down. "It was Ryan who was responsible. He told me not to say anything or he was going to kill the whole team. I don't know what to do. What if he doesn't come back? What am I going to do about the baby?"

"Hotch is a fighter," Rossi spoke up. "He will do everything he has to get back here safely."

"I'm afraid that won't be necessary," said a voice.

Rossi and Emily turned around to find Hotch standing there. Both profilers, including Erin, were happy to see him. But when Emily tried to get close, Hotch pulled out a gun and pointed it at her.

"No one moves!" Hotch snapped. "Or she dies."


	51. Plan B

"Hotch, please, you don't want to do this," Emily begged her husband. "I'm your wife. We have a child on the way. Do you want to go to prison for the rest of your life?"

"I've been ordered to eliminate every member of this team," the Unit Chief said. "And I don't disobey an order given."

"That's correct, Agent Hotchner," replied a voice. Erin and Rossi gasped in horror at the sight of The Replicator entering the room. Walking beside him was Lewis and Beth.

"Ms. Clemmons," Emily said. "You're supposed to be in prison! How did you get out?"

"Your dear husband let me out," Beth responded. She walked up next to Hotch, who smiled and didn't even give Emily a second look.

"Get away from him!" Emily snapped. "You're not his wife!"

"But I will be soon. That's right, Aaron, when was your divorce finalized again?"

"In a few days," Hotch replied.

He knew he was going to regret everything he said once the mind control drugs wore off. He was never going to marry Beth. He loved Emily more than his job, something that meant everything to him.

Erin and Rossi were trying to think of a plan to save Emily and hopefully get Hotch back to his normal self again. Dave had a Glock hidden in his back pocket, and he planned on using it to save his best friend's life.

Quick as a flash, Rossi pulled out the gun and shot Lewis in the head. The unsub was dead, and Curtis and Beth took off running. Rossi began chasing after them, but the remaining two unsubs got into a black van, which pulled out of the parking lot within thirty seconds. The time wasn't long enough for Rossi to catch the sight of the license plate.

Meanwhile, inside the bullpen, Hotch was trying to figure out what happened to him. When he saw that he was pointing one of his own weapons at his wife, he immediately threw the gun aside and stepped towards her slowly.

Rossi ran back into the bullpen to find Hotch and Emily embracing each other and Strauss looking worried. Her face began to pale and she looked like she was going to pass out.

"Honey, are you alright?" Rossi asked.

But Erin's eyes closed and she began to fall forward towards the floor. Hotch noticed what was happening and caught her before she hit the floor.

"Erin, are you ok?" Hotch asked. "You passed out."

"Yea," she replied once she regained consciousness. "I'm pregnant again, and I said the news when you were gone. I'm sorry, I wanted to wait, but...oh shoot."

"What?"

"I might not want to spoil what Morgan and Garcia's announcement is. I'll let them tell you."

"Congrats, Erin," Hotch said. "You too, Dave."

The two couples waited in the bullpen for JJ, Reid, Garcia, Morgan, Blake, and Kate to arrive. Blake was the first one to enter, and Emily noticed that her co-worker appeared to be limping and wore more makeup that she normally did.

Emily walked over to her.

"Alex, are you ok?" the brunette asked. "You look like you're in pain."

"Yea, I'm alright," Blake replied. "I just got out of bed last night and rammed my foot into the bedroom door. That's why I'm limping."

"Alex…" Emily said. "You are in pain. That doesn't look like a 'I-ran-into-something' injury. You're wearing more makeup than you did yesterday. What is going on? JJ, Reid, Morgan, and I have started noticing that you're hurting a lot more than usual. Is someone abusing you at home?"

"Ok, I'll tell you the truth. James is beating me up when I get home from work every night. This started a few days after the barbeque at Rossi's house. James thinks I'm cheating on him. But I'm not. And he won't listen to me."

"Oh, Alex, why haven't you told us sooner? We would have him arrested and charged already."

"Because he threatened my life as well as everyone on the team. He told me that if I said anything to you guys, then he would kill you all and make me watch."

"You won't have to worry about him anymore," Emily said confidently. We will catch him and make him pay for what he's done to you."

"What's going on?" Hotch asked.

"My husband beats me to a pulp every night when I get home from work," Alex spoke up. "He thinks I'm cheating on him, but I'm not. He threatened me by saying that if I told anyone, then the team would be dead. He said he would kill all of you. He would make me watch."

~CM~

Ryan was speeding through Quantico trying to get back to the location without being seen by the FBI or being pulled over by the cops. He was furious that another good asset had been removed, but at least Beth was out of prison. His plan to make the team pay wasn't going the way he wanted it to. But he was going to keep trying until every member on Erin Strauss's team was dead.

"You two are lucky he didn't shoot you!" Ryan snapped at Curtis and Beth. "My plan is not working! I thought Lewis would be a good asset, but instead those stupid profilers killed him! Now we don't have a successful to mind-control an agent. We need to come up with a plan B and hopefully this time we can eliminate them all."

"Oooh, I like plan Bs," Curtis replied. "Although I don't have any idea what we're going to do."

"Then think of something, you idiot! I hired you to kill Rossi and kidnap Strauss. And you haven't done either one of those things."

"Well, I was going to shoot Rossi, but he had a gun in his hand! He killed Lewis. I was trying to save my life."

"And when you paid Erin a visit in her home a couple weeks ago, why didn't you kidnap her then?"

"I...I just needed some more time," Curtis said. "But this time, she'll be in my hands. And where are those flowers I asked you to buy?"

"They're at home. Now, I think I have a successful plan B thought out. We are going to relocate to an out-of-state location. We are going to take my private plane and relocate to Maryland. That way, we can execute our plan in plain sight and nothing will be able to stop us."

"Erin, my love," The Replicator said, an image of her filling his mind. "I'll be coming to get you soon."


	52. James Blake and The Replicator

When Erin got home from work that evening, she saw a bouquet of flowers on the front porch. More specifically, red roses.

"Dave, did you buy me roses?" Erin asked her husband.

"No," he replied. "Although I did order you some pink sunflowers, which should be arriving tomorrow morning."

"Then who sent the roses?"

"Don't know."

Erin bent down and picked up the flowers. On top of the bouquet was a small card. She opened it and paled.

**~Erin, did you miss me? It's John. John Curtis. Don't you remember?~**

"Dave…" Strauss said. "Curtis was the one who broke into our house about two weeks ago. And now he's the one who sent the flowers. What does he want with me?"

"He probably wants revenge for almost being blown up in that explosion a few years back. I made sure he was trapped and couldn't get out. But somehow, he survived and is now back out in the world again. We're going to find him, Erin. He'll be getting a bullet to his head once we do find him."

~CM~

The Replicator sat in his car outside the Rossi household. The unsub was waiting until Dave left the house, which would leave Erin vulnerable. Curtis had an obsession with the Section Chief, having a little fantasy that she was in love with him. He had fallen in love with her years ago, but it appeared to be a secret one-sided relationship. He wanted Rossi out of the picture so that he could Strauss all to himself. Sending the bouquet of flowers had only been step one of the plan. The Replicator needed to get Erin alone so he could abduct her and take her back to the secret house. He wasn't going to let her go, and even if Rossi begged to take her place, The Replicator wouldn't allow it. There would be no trading or exchanging.

The criminal dozed off for a little while, but when he woke up, it was the perfect time. Rossi had just walked out of the house and was getting into his car to drive to work. Erin was taking some time off for a little while to raise their daughter, even though she was already almost five months old.

Once Rossi's car had disappeared around the corner, The Replicator walked up to the front porch and pulled out the key he had hidden in his pocket. Cruz was able to get a picture of the key and made a copy using a key-making machine. Now, any one of the unsubs could easily make a copy of a key and break into someone's house.

"Dave, is that you-Ahh!" Erin screamed once she realized that The Replicator had entered her house once again.

"Don't even think about, Erin," Curtis sneered. "Do you want to live or die and leave your husband behind as a single parent?"

"I...I don't want to die. Curtis, what do you want? Why are you doing this?"

"Because your husband almost killed me years ago! He trapped me in a room with a bomb. A BOMB. Did you really think I would walk away from that without feeling angry? I had to come back and get revenge on him. And now, you're just a piece in the game I've been ordered to finish. You won't be coming back to your husband the same way you are now."

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Oh, I don't know yet. The question is what Ryan's going to do about you. That you won't like because he'll make you do something you'll regret for the rest of your life."

Curtis began walking towards her, but her fingers were slowly reaching for the scalpel she had hidden in her back pocket. After The Replicator had broken in the first time, Rossi had given his wife a scalpel and a small handgun to protect herself. Curtis pulled out a gun and pointed it at her. He told her to follow him outside to his car. But right when he was about to shove her into the trunk, Erin fought back. She delivered a hard punch to his stomach and quickly pulled out the scalpel. She stabbed him in the abdomen and shoved him onto the ground. Curtis was dead before he hit the ground. He wasn't dead from a stab wound, instead, he had died from a ruptured stomach when she punched him. Erin immediately pulled out her cell phone and dialed Rossi.

"Erin, honey, are you ok?" he asked, noticing that she was breathing heavily.

"The Replicator tried to kidnap me," she replied. "But I punched him in the stomach and stabbed him with the scalpel you gave me. He's dead."

"Alright, well, let me call work and tell them that The Replicator is dead. The M.E. will be there soon."

~CM~

Within five minutes, the Medical Examiner and several agents not from her team were asking her questions. It was determined that Erin wouldn't go to prison for killing The Replicator since it was self-defense. But she wanted to go to work and alert the team that another one of Ryan's minions were gone.

~CM~

After Hotch entered the bullpen that morning, he noticed that three Department of Justice agents waiting by his office.

"Gentlemen, how can I help you?" Hotch asked. But he was cut off by one of the agents slamming him against the wall and handcuffing him. "Hey-what?"

"Agent Hotchner, you are under arrest for the murder of Haley Brooks," the first DOJ agent said. "You have the right to remain silent; anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney…"

Hotch felt his face paling. Murder. He didn't kill anyone. And especially not his ex-wife.

"What's going on here?" Emily asked.

"Agent Prentiss, your husband is under arrest for the murder of his ex-wife," the second DOJ agent replied.

"What? He didn't kill anyone!"

"Tell that to the judge," the agent said before walking out of the bullpen with a handcuffed Hotch by his side.

~CM~

Ryan had another glass of wine, but when he reviewed the security camera feeds from outside the Rossi household, the unsub threw the glass into the fireplace.

"UGGGGH!" Ryan screamed, extremely furious. Only he, Cruz, and Beth remained alive. The plan was falling apart. "CURTIS IS DEAD!"

Beth and Cruz entered the room.

"Are you serious?" she asked.

"Yes!" Ryan snapped. "This ends tonight. Give me the phone; I have to make a call."

He dialed a number and waited for someone on the other end to pick up.

"Hello?" said a voice.

"Mr. Blake, how lovely to hear your voice," Ryan replied. "My name is Max Ryan, and I called to offer you something amazing."

"Is this a sales call?"

"No. This has to do with your wife, Alex. Do you want to have her alone, isolated in a place where she can't call her little friends at the BAU?"

"Yes. But she's been cheating on me."

"No, she hasn't. I've been watching her for months. She's remained faithful. But anyway, I need a new team member to join since my last asset was just murdered by Erin Strauss. I've give you a hundred grand if you join. A hundred grand in cash."

"I'll take it," James replied. "When do I meet you to join the team?"

"You can meet me in one hour. I'll text you an address."

The call ended, and Ryan sent the directions to James.

Max turned to Cruz and Beth.

"It's time to bring Aaron Hotchner down for good."


	53. The verdict and questioning Cruz

As Hotch was being led down to the courthouse, many thoughts began running through his head. He knew that Seaver had killed Haley in self defense, so why was he being charged with his ex-wife's murder? Also, if he was going to be sending the rest of his life in prison, then who would look after Emily and the kids? Something needed to be done. And Hotch was going to fight back, no matter how long it took. He would get his freedom and prove that he was innocent.

~CM~

Ryan tapped his fingers together in excitement. Framing Hotch for Haley's murder was certainly going to affect his reputation and career for the rest of his life. It had been so easy to get some of the Unit Chief's DNA because it was still on the chain from his second time being kidnapped. He also had a machine that could replicate DNA in a matter of seconds. Now, anyone could have thousands of copies of their DNA made in under thirty seconds with this machine. Once Hotch was thrown into jail, Ryan would be able to bring the BAU down and they would never be the same again. It was time to show the FBI who the boss really was and why it was never good to mess with someone and screw up their life forever. The trial was expected to be finished by the end of the day. It would televised live and Ryan was going to watch every moment of it. When he turned on the TV about two hours later, the trial was nearly over. The lawyers were sitting anxiously waiting with their clients. The jury was in another room, making the final decision.

~CM~

Hotch sat next to his lawyer, nervous about the verdict. He hoped that someone would believe him. He tried to say that he was being framed, but no one seemed to want to hear what he had to say.

Fifteen minutes later, the dozen members of the jury returned to the room. They walked up to the judge and mouthed the verdict to the judge. Their back faced the courtroom so that the rest of the courtroom couldn't see the answer.

Hotch's ex-father-in-law Roy was representing his daughter in court. Roy hated Hotch after he divorced Haley.

"The jury had come to a decision," the judge said.

All eyes were focused on the judge, anxiously awaiting the verdict. Hotch's heart dropped to the floor. His team was sitting in the first row of the courtroom, nervousness written across their faces. Morgan and Garcia were holding each others' hands and leaning forward in their seats. JJ was leaning against Reid's shoulder, his arm protectively wrapped around. Rossi and Erin looked like they were about to faint. Kate was biting her nails. Her husband Chris was trying to calm her down. Jessica looked like she was about to cry. Anderson brought his wife close to him in a hug to comfort her. Seaver and Gideon had their hands over their mouths, trying hard not to gasp. Emily put a hand over her belly, trying to reassure her daughter that her daddy was going to be ok. And Blake was folding her hands in her lap, trying to think positive thoughts.

"I hereby declare…"

Everyone in the courtroom went silent. Hotch's team drew in a sharp breath. This was the moment of truth.

"I hereby declare, by the final decision of the jury, that BAU Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner…"

Hotch felt his face paling. His breathing picked up in a panic.

"I hereby declare, by the final decision of the jury, that BAU Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner has been found GUILTY in the murder of Haley Brooks. Case is dismissed and court is adjourned."

The judge banged his gavel, and immediately Hotch felt the tears coming.

Guilty of murder. Prison. For something that he didn't even do.

Two guards yanked Hotch out of his seat and out towards an awaiting van. They handcuffed his hands in front of him and forced him to sit with the other prisoners in the back.

~CM~

Ryan heard the verdict and jumped out of his chair.

"YESSS!" he shouted at the TV. "I KNEW YOU WERE GUILTY!"

Cruz entered the room.

"Boss, what just happened?" he asked.

"Remember how we framed Hotch? Well, the evidence began to pile against him and he was just found guilty of Haley's murder. He's going to prison for the rest of his life."

"Excellent. I have to go outside for a while, but I'll be back in an hour."

Cruz headed outside to his car and drove back towards the BAU. But when he stepped out of the car, he was suddenly stabbed in the neck with a needle.

"I'm sorry, Cruz, but you left us with no choice," Emily said, releasing the sedative. "We need to have a talk."

"I will end you!" he replied, pulling the needle out of his neck and then turning around to try and strangle her.

"You can end me all you want, Mateo," Emily replied, watching him go unconscious. "Once you wake up from your little nap."

The rest of Hotch's team appeared and helped carry the former 'Section Chief' to another car. Kate got into the driver's seat and the rest of the team got into the car. Callahan drove away quickly to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The warehouse was sometimes used by the BAU to have private conversations with suspects and unsubs.

Cruz was forced to stand with his hands chained above him. He began to roll his head from side to side and woke up to see Hotch's entire team-including Garcia and Strauss-standing in front of him.

"What...where am I?" Cruz asked.

"Don't ask questions, Mateo," Kate snapped, pulling out a hand-held taser. "You're here because you're going to tell us everything you know about Ryan and this plan. You're also going to tell us where Ryan is and how we can get our boss out of jail. And if you don't comply with us, then you're going to suffer a lot of pain until you tell us what we want to know."

"What do you want-?"

But then Kate brought the taser over his chest, sending an electric shock to his heart.

"What is Ryan's plan? Where is he?" JJ snapped.

"You'll never know," Cruz replied.

Emily left the room and came back with a scalpel. She brought it close to his shoulder and stabbed him with it. Cruz let out a scream of pain.

"WHERE IS RYAN?" JJ snapped. "I won't ask you again!"

"I don't know, honest!"

Kate shocked him with the taser again.


	54. Blake and Anderson's affair begins

***A/N: Two chapters in one day! You guys are awesome!* :)**

Blake and Anderson were told that they were not needed at the moment, so they left the warehouse and headed back to the BAU. But before getting out of the car, Anderson noticed that Blake was acting strange. She seemed to be breathing heavier and had a hard time calming down. "Alex, is everything ok?" Grant asked her.

"I shouldn't...I can't be having these feelings for you. I can't. You're married and then I'll be known as the 'FBI Home-Wrecker'," Blake said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"What do you mean?"

Anderson set the car in park and got out of the car. Blake did the same and she noticed that he was walking towards her.

"What do you mean, don't be?" Alex asked.

She was cut off by Anderson kissing her. Blake was surprised that he was even doing such a thing, considering that he was married to their boss's sister-in-law.

"I'm sorry," Anderson replied. "I shouldn't have."

"I don't regret it, not even for a second," came Blake's response. "My husband was a nice guy, but then he became a first-class jerk and beat me up every night when I got home from work. We're in the process of getting of a divorce."

"Jessica won't be home tonight," Anderson said. "She's staying over with Kate and Chris. Do you want to have dinner with me?"

"Why, I would love to," Blake replied.

And that was the beginning of Anderson and Blake's affair.

~CM~

The next morning, Jessica came home to an organized and clean house. Anderson had prepared some breakfast for her. He looked put-together, considering that Blake had spent the night and left at six in the morning, about two hours before Jessica came home.

She had no idea that her husband was a liar and a cheater. But when she did find out, their marriage would be over and she would kick him out of the house.

"Hi honey," Anderson said, kissing his wife. She noticed that his mood was a little more down than normal.

"Hey, is everything alright?" Jessica asked. "You seem a little more...sad than usual."

"No, I'm ok," he lied. She was convinced. But how much longer was he going to keep lying to the woman he loved?

Anderson began thinking about both Jessica and Alex. Who did he love more?

~CM~

Kate and JJ were looking at Cruz, who was still alive after almost six hours of torture with a taser and a scalpel. The team made sure that he was locked in a secure room preventing him from escaping. The team was given three days off for a small vacation, but they weren't going to stop with Cruz until they got the answers they needed. Hotch was still in jail and there was no way they were going to be able to get him out unless they got a lot of evidence. Kate planned to turn the taser up to an even higher setting and keep shocking Cruz with it until he said where Ryan was.

But before Callahan could even turn the weapon on the next morning, Cruz confessed.

"I framed Hotch for Haley's murder," Mateo said. "Ryan told me to."

"And where is Ryan?" Rossi asked. "Come on, Cruz, all we want is a location. We want to know where he is. Maybe we can cut a deal with the DA about less prison time for your crimes. Maybe we can work something out. But that will only happen if you tell us where Ryan is."

"Alright. I'll tell you. Ryan's at 3906 East Harrison Circle, Quantico. But you all can't be at the house. Otherwise Ryan's not going to be happy. I don't know what he'd think if he saw ten or so FBI agents invading his house."

"What about his wife and kids? What are we going to do about them?" Morgan asked.

"His wife knows nothing about his double life. Their marriage will be over the moment she finds out everything."

The team kept Cruz close to them as they walked out to the car. But when they got outside, a gunshot rang out and Cruz was dead before he hit the dirt road. Someone had shot him in the head, and immediately the BAU was ducking behind the car to protect themselves. But when Kate stuck herself around the car to try and shoot the mystery person, a bullet hit her in the chest just below her bulletproof vest.

"Kate!" Morgan said, pulling her out of the line of fire. The person fired again but missed the team completely.

Rossi spotted a man with dark hair speeding away off down the road.

"That's Ryan!" the profiler shouted, then pulled out his gun and began shooting at the car to hopefully flatten a tire, but the car was gone within seconds.

"We need a medic!" Morgan shouted.

Rossi pulled out his walkie-talkie.

"This is Agent Dave Rossi with the BAU; we need a medic to 4208 Meadow Woods Parkway, Quantico, we have an agent down! I repeat, Agent down!" Rossi said.

~CM~

Ryan made it back to his secret house, his anger boiling over. His second-in-command was dead, but Max had to do something to prevent him from telling the FBI anything more. He only had Beth and James Blake left, and then if they were gone, then he would be the only member of his group left and he would be caught by the BAU. Something needed to be done quick. But he learned from a news story that Hotch was going back on trial due to new evidence. When Ryan heard the story, his heart began to race.

Back on trial. New evidence. Aaron Hotchner possibly going to be released.

Ryan was trying to think of what he was going to do when he was suddenly interrupted by the sound of his wife coming in. But then she spotted Beth sitting on the couch sitting next to him and became suspicious.

"Max, honey, who's the woman sitting next to you?" the wife asked.

"Kari, it's nothing. Beth is just a friend. I hired her to do some housework," Ryan replied. "But unfortunately, I can't have you leave the house."

James came out of nowhere and fired at Kari, causing her to fall onto the floor. She looked at her husband, betrayal shining in his eyes.

"Max, how...could...you?" she said before she went unconscious.

He looked at James.

"Drop her off at the hospital and then come back here as quickly as you can. We don't want you to be seen by the FBI," Ryan said to his newest team member. "I want you in the best shape you are so that you're ready to isolate your wife. What are you going to say to her?"

"I'll say that the divorce papers are ready for her to sign," James replied. "Which is true. I did receive them from my lawyer yesterday. I just need her signature and then I'm finally free."

~CM~

A week later, Kari was out of her medically-induced coma from being shot just above her heart. But there was still no word on Kate's recovery. She had a successful surgery, but then she had fallen into a non-medically-induced coma. The doctors said that there was a sixty-percent chance that she would wake up, but the forty-percent chance of not coming back from her injury was still pretty high. Chris hadn't left her bedside the entire week.

The team still had no leads on Ryan because when they searched the location Cruz had given them, there were no signs of life. So, the team was back to square one. Meanwhile, Hotch had gone through his second trial and had his charges dropped. He would be getting his job and life back and had officially been cleared innocent. He wanted Ryan dead more than anyone else on the team. The Unit Chief didn't care if Ryan got arrested. All Hotch cared about was putting a bullet into Max's head.


	55. Two lives for one

That night when Jessica arrived home from work, she noticed that Anderson was already home and in the shower. She heard his phone making a ping!, the sound it always made when he got a text. Curious, she decided to see who had texted him.

**ALEX: Hey baby :), you want to come over tonight? I'll make that dinner you really enjoy with a side of ice cream for dessert.**

Jessica felt her heart drop to the floor after reading the text. Anderson was cheating on her with one of his co-workers. She felt dirty, used, and betrayed. What was she going to tell Matthew when he came back from his sleepover with Jack tomorrow?

Jessica heard the shower turn off, and she knew she had to confront him. How long had he been lying to her?

"Hey Jess," Anderson said once he came down to the living room. He noticed her horrified facial expression. "What's wrong?"

"I can't even look at you," Jessica replied. "You disgust me."

"What?"

"You used me, Grant. I just read a text from someone named Alex. She was asking you to come over for dinner tonight. How could you?"

"I'm...I'm sorry-"

"Don't say you're sorry when you're really not. How long have you been cheating?"

"A week ago. I'm sorry, I never meant-"

"You know what? Save it. I don't care. Get out of my house. You're no longer welcome here anymore. I can't believe I ever trusted you. You were my best friend."

Jessica walked up to her soon-to-be-ex-husband and slapped him in the face.

"I want a divorce," were her last words as she walked into the bedroom and slammed the door shut in his face.

~CM~

James waited outside his ex-wife's house for her to come out. It had been a month since Cruz's death and almost five weeks since James learned that Alex was having an affair with Agent Anderson. James wanted Alex all to himself and didn't want her to be fooling around with someone like Grant Anderson. That man needed to be taught a lesson.

Alex walked out of Anderson's house, and James knew that it was now or never to get his ex-wife and escape before her lover could do anything.

James got out of the car and leaned against the driver's side door. A syringe was in his hand.

As Alex walked past the car, not seeming to notice her ex-husband, she was suddenly grabbed from behind. She tried to scream, but James just put a hand over her mouth.

"I'm sorry Alex, but you need to be taught a lesson," he said, releasing whatever was inside the syringe.

She went unconscious in her ex-husband's arms. He carried her over to his car and restrained her wrists once she was in the trunk. James knew that he would go to prison for the rest of his life once the FBI figured out that he was behind one of their agent's kidnappings. But he wouldn't care. As long as Ryan got what he wanted, then James would be happy and excited to complete more missions.

~CM~

Jessica picked up the phone and dialed her best friend, Kate Joyner. Kate had been in the same car explosion as Hotch several years ago and the doctors were able to save her life. She was the one person that Jessica completely trusted. They told each other dark secrets.

"Jess, what's wrong?" Kate asked.

"Grant cheated on me with one of his co-workers," her best friend replied. "I feel disgusted."

"Why don't you and Matthew crash with me for a while? I don't mind having you stay."

"Actually, I would feel better if you came over. I need to stay close by in case Jack needs anything."

"Sure, I can be down there in an hour," Joyner replied. "See you soon."

The two women said goodbye, then Jessica buried her face in a pillow and began to cry.

~CM~

"Anyone seen Blake?" Hotch asked the next morning.

"Not that I know of," JJ said. "But I did notice that they were acting strange as they were leaving."

"Strange how?"

"I've been thinking that Blake might be in love with him. But I know that Anderson wouldn't do such a thing to Jessica."

"Guys," Garcia replied. "I just got a message on my computer screens. We all have to go watch the message."

The team headed into Garcia's room.

"What do you have for me, BabyGirl?" Morgan asked his wife.

"The signal is making me mad. It keeps jumping all over the world every ten seconds and I can't trace it!"

A minute later, a live feed in some unknown house appeared on Garcia's computer screens. Blake was sitting in a chair with her hands restrained behind her. Anderson entered the room about thirty seconds later and gasped in horror at the sight of his mistress bound to a chair.

"Agents," said a voice from off-camera. The team saw Alex look up at something, her eyes beginning to water with tears.

"Stop your crying!" the voice snapped, slapping her across the face. Then Max Ryan came into view and faced the camera. The agents gasped in horror at the sight of the unsub.

"Ryan…" Hotch said, his face paling. He wasn't able to finish his sentence.

"Hello agents," the unsub replied, his smile scaring the entire team. "The lovely Agent Blake has decided to join me today. It's been such a pleasure getting to know her."

Anderson looked like he was going to cry. He cared about Alex and was oh so deeply in love with her. He tried hard not to let his tears fall, but JJ picked up on his body language right away.

"Oh my gosh," the blond said. "You're in love with her!"

"I...I wasn't trying to, but I have," came his response.

"How could you do that to Jessica?!"

Anderson ran out of the room.

"Agent Jareau," Hotch warned softly.

"I'm sorry, Hotch!" JJ replied. "I just can't believe that he would do something like that."

Ryan looked back into the camera again.

"If you don't deliver Agents Hotchner and Gideon to me within the next twenty-four hours, then Ms. Blake here is going to die. Are you willing to trade two lives to save one? The location and directions will be sent within the next twelve hours," Ryan said.

The screens went dark just as Alex was slapped in the face again.

~CM~

Kate had woken up in the morning to see Jessica crying into her pillow. Joyner walked over to her best friend and hugged her.

"It's ok," Kate said. "I'm here. You don't have to worry about me leaving."

Jessica broke down crying in her best friend's arms. She wanted someone to stay and take care off of her while she went through her divorce.

But then, Kate made a huge mistake by kissing Jessica.

"Kate…" Jessica said.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Joyner replied. "I'm so sorry! It's just that I love you, but I've had to keep my feelings hidden for years. I've probably loved you since I met you."

Jessica didn't know what to think. She wasn't a lesbian, but she was secretly bi. Was she actually in love with her best friend?


	56. Trade accepted

Chris was sitting by Callahan's bedside, holding her hand and hoping that she was going to wake up soon. But the doctor told him a few days ago that Kate's chances of ever waking up were decreasing by the days. Her chance of coming back were at 30 percent. However, things were about to turn deadly.

Chris saw Kate's eyes open for a few seconds.

"Kate," he said simply. "It's good to see you again. I love you, honey."

She managed to smile but then her eyes closed and the heart rate/blood pressure monitor began to beep very quickly. Her body began to spasm out of control.

"Kate? Kate? Nurse! I need a nurse!" Chris shouted.

One of the nurses and Kate's doctor rushed into the room and immediately began taking action.

"She's having a seizure!" the nurse said, grabbing some medicine and sticking it inside Kate's IV line. But Callahan's heart rate wouldn't stay at a normal level.

"Doctor, the medicine isn't working!"

The doctor did a quick physical exam and found that the middle of Callahan's back was swollen.

"She needs the OR right away; her spinal cord is being compressed."

The nurse climbed onto the bed and began giving Kate CPR after the machine flatlined.

"She's gone into cardiac arrest!" came the nurse's response.

Several more doctors came rushing into the room to and began taking her down to the OR. Chris was begging them to do everything they could save her life.

~CM~

Eight hours later, Chris was awakened from his slumber by Kate's doctor.

"Mr. Callahan?" asked the doctor. "I have some good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"

"The good news," Chris replied.

"Well, Kate is in the ICU recovering. We discovered that the bullet nicked a small part of her spinal cord and caused it to compress. As for the seizures, she shouldn't be having any more. The bullet hadn't hit any major arteries or veins or organs, so she will make a good recovery."

"Good recovery? Don't you mean full?"

"Unfortunately, the damage was already done by the time we started fixing up her spinal cord. There was nothing we could do."

"What are you saying? Are you telling me that she's paralyzed?"

"Yes."

"From where?"

"From her abdominal muscles down or approximately T7. She will be able to use her arms, but she will never be able to walk again. I'm sorry, but she's going to have to be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life."

Chris started crying. His beautiful wife, his Kate, was never going to be able to walk again. She would never get to be a profiler or chase another unsub ever again. He and their adopted niece Meg were going to have to help out a lot more around the house with Kate being in a wheelchair.

~CM~

Hotch looked down at his phone. There was a text from an unknown sender, but he had a feeling he knew who it was.

-Agent Hotchner, your time is up. I've decided that I'm not going to wait a full 24 hours for you and Agent Gideon to come to the location. You have 15 minutes to bring yourself and your co-worker to this location or Alex is dead. You two are to come alone. No FBI or SWAT backup.-

Ryan sent an address and Hotch informed Gideon of the news. The agents left with a simple explanation to the team and hurried out to the parking lot. They reached the location in ten minutes.

~CM~

Ryan saw Hotchner and Gideon waiting outside the car and knew that he needed to take action. He grabbed a long rifle and held it securely in his hands.

"Hotch and Jason," Ryan said, walking outside. "It's a pleasure to see you both again."

He made sure that the gun was pointed on them before he pulled out his walkie-talkie.

"Send Agent Blake outside. The deal is done," he said to someone. "Then it's time for you to take care of who I told you about."

"Yes Sir, I'm on my way," the person replied.

Within a minute, Hotch and Gideon saw Blake being led outside, her wrists still bound with zip-ties. The two profilers could see that James was the one leading her outside.

"I'm so sorry, Hotch, for breaking up your sister-in-law's marriage," Blake confessed. "I'm so sorry. I never meant for it to happen."

Hotch nodded, then Alex got into the car with her hands tied. James cut the zip-ties, but threatened her not to say anything about where she had been or then she and the entire team would be dead.

Alex quickly drove away, the images of her prison and Hotch and Gideon being led into a car just off in the distance. Blake knew that she needed to do something, but how was she going to tell the team when James had just threatened her not to say anything?

~CM~

Two hours later, Blake had returned back to the bullpen. Emily was getting worried about her husband because he said that he would be back in a half-hour. And now, more than 90 extra minutes had passed. She was not trying to stress out because it could put stress on the baby and potentially kill her if eclampsia developed. She felt like she was getting contractions, but she knew that her daughter still had another two months to grow. Plus, Emily wanted Hotch in the hospital with her when she gave birth. She was getting closer to the seven-and-a-half-month mark each passing day. Her maternity leave was starting in just over two weeks.

"Emily, you need to stop stressing out about Hotch," JJ assured her friend. "You're going to put stress on the little one too."

"I know," the brunette replied. "It's just that Hotch always puts himself at risk to help victims and take down the unsubs. Sometimes I wonder if he thinks about me or the little one here when he goes out into the field."

Suddenly, her phone rang. She saw Hotch's name flash across the screen.

"It's Hotch!" Emily shouted at the team. Garcia was already getting a trace set up for when Emily answered the call. She pressed the button and then turned her phone on speaker.

"Hotch, honey, are you-?" she began.

Someone chuckled on the other end.

"I'm sorry, but your husband isn't available to talk right now," Ryan said. "I can give a message to him for you."

"Where is he, Ryan? Where is he? I want to talk to him!"

"Well, that won't be happening. I just have to say one thing. Remember when I offered a trade? Hotch and Gideon's lives for Blake to be released? Well, the two of them went through and gave themselves up. So sorry Emily, but you're never going to see your husband again."

The line clicked and Emily felt the tears coming. Her husband was gone. Would he ever be found?

~CM~

Anderson was at home, preparing to make a romantic dinner for Blake, who was coming over later that day. But when he came out of the kitchen, James was standing there holding a gun. He pulled the trigger twice, both bullets hitting Anderson in the chest.

"That's what you get for stealing my wife away," James said before delivering the final bullet and killing Anderson.


	57. More than Friends

Jessica pulled her car into the driveway, the tears falling down her face. She tried to dry them away as she got out of the car and walked towards the front door. But she noticed that the front door was slightly ajar. Something was not right and Jessica started to become suspicious. There was a small amount of blood on the doorknob.

She stepped into her house and saw that it was dark and silent. She smelled blood coming from over by the kitchen. She turned on the light by the front door and saw Anderson lying on the floor. He wasn't moving.

"Oh my gosh, Grant? Are you ok?" she asked. But he wasn't responsive.

She ran over to him and discovered that he had been shot three times in the chest. She felt his wrist for a pulse and discovered that he didn't have one.

"NO!" she said, the tears falling even harder. "I hated you, but I still loved you! No! This is my fault! I should have just apologized!"

Joyner arrived back at the house fifteen minutes later and found her best friend crying.

"Oh my-what happened?" Kate asked.

"I don't know!" Jessica sobbed. "I got home fifteen minutes ago and I found Grant dead. I didn't kill him. I was mad at him, but it wasn't enough to drive me to murder him!"

~CM~

Three days later, the team-minus Gideon and Hotch-attended Anderson's funeral. Alex felt so guilty for stealing Jessica's husband away and now he was dead. Blake was never going to forgive herself for what happened.

Callahan was adjusting to life in a wheelchair, knowing that people were going to have to do more things for her. She could brush and comb her hair, but there had been a special shower installed for her. Since she couldn't stand, there had been a plastic seat nailed into the wall in which she could sit down on and take a shower.

Hotch and Gideon still hadn't been found. It was like they stepped into another dimension and weren't ever going to come back. Blake wished she had stayed behind and tried to help her co-workers. She hoped that Ryan hadn't already killed them. They didn't need another death to make them suffer even more. Losing Elle was hard enough, but now with Anderson gone, the team was having trouble focusing on their jobs. And Callahan was retiring once Hotch was found because of her injury that was never going to heal. Kate was going to teach at Jack's elementary school in Quantico, so at least she would be able to keep in touch with her former team members.

Anderson's coffin was laid in the ground with Jessica putting the first scoop of dirt on top of it. She continued to cry and saw that Blake was doing the same.

After the team finishing covering the coffin up, the headstone was put into the ground. Jessica vowed to visit his gravesite once a week, and even if she had plans with friends, she would still visit him.

The team headed out to Anderson's favorite restaurant after the funeral. While they were there, Blake walked up to Jessica.

"Mrs. Anderson?" the brunette asked. "My name is Alex."

"Alex? As in the Alex who stole my husband away?" Jessica said.

"Yes, and I'm sorry that I did. It's just that after my husband beat me to a pulp, I fell in love with Grant. I tried to keep my feelings hidden, but it all came out one day. I'm never going to forgive myself for what happened to him."

Jessica and Blake embraced with the blond forgiving her.

~CM~

In a house somewhere in Quantico, Hotch was feeling lonely. Gideon had been moved to another room downstairs, and the Unit Chief was missing his wife more than anything. He wondered what Jack was doing. Had he noticed that his dad was gone?

He was also thinking about his daughter due in a month-and-a-half. Was Emily going to kill him when he got back? Would she forgive him for lying to her right away or would it take her awhile to warm back up to him?

He had been trying to figure out an escape plan. He wondered if Gideon was doing the same. The two of them needed to figure out how to get help without being caught by James and/or Ryan. As Hotch began thinking about his wife, all his thoughts went blank when he heard a familiar feminine voice walk through the doorway.

"Hello Aaron," came Beth's soft voice. "I never thought I would see you restrained like this. All alone with no team or family to keep you company. I'm sure your wife is worried about you. But remember, if she stresses out too much, then your daughter will die."

Hotch began freaking out, now even more worried for his wife and unborn child's safety. Would Ryan get to them first? The Unit Chief was hoping that he could talk some sense into Beth about letting him escape. And she wouldn't listen to anyone other than Ryan or James.

~CM~

Jessica and Joyner arrived back at the house, a feeling of loneliness washing over them. It would be hard for Jessica to raise her son alone without his father. But Joyner was going to help her best friend through these times of trouble.

The two women settled down on the couch to watch a movie. Joyner wrapped her arms around Jessica as the blond broke down crying.

"Kate, I miss him," Jessica said. "It hurts. I don't know if I can forgive him for what he did."

"You don't have to right away," Joyner replied.

"Kiss me, Kate. I want you to kiss me."

Joyner didn't need to be told twice. She leaned forward and kissed Jessica again.

"You mean everything to me," Joyner said. "I will wait as long as you want me to. I want to be with you and love you. I want to have a family with you."

Jessica shuddered internally. She remembered that horrible moment almost two years ago when Ryan took away her ability to have children.

"Kate…" she said. "I never told you this. I never said this to anyone but to Grant and Hotch. I can't have children. I can't even begin to describe what happened to me. But I am physically unable to."

"Jess, I'll still love you no matter what. I'm not going anywhere. You're gorgeous on the inside and outside."

"Really? You still love me when I'm unable to have children, had my husband cheat on me and leave me for someone else?"

"Yes. I'll never leave you. I've dated other people, but you are 'the one' for me. I will always love you, Jessica Brooks."

~CM~

Hotch had finally figured his escape plan. He was going back to the BAU to get help and bring Ryan down for good this time. While Beth had her back turned, Hotch stood up and hit her with the chair he had been restrained. He successfully knocked her out and managed to break the wooden chair and cut his rope bonds. He felt so guilty for leaving Gideon behind in the clutches of a madman, but Hotch thought he could get help and bring the BAU back to this location and kill Ryan. The Unit Chief ran out to a car in the driveway and took off for the BAU.

~CM~

He arrived back at the BAU about half an hour later and he suddenly felt pain ripping through the lower right quadrant of his abdomen. He felt his vision fading away. He saw Emily running towards him as fast as she could at almost eight months pregnant.


	58. Moving On

Hotch looked around at his surroundings. The place was beautiful. There were streets of gold and he saw familiar faces of people he lost. Elle and Anderson held their arms out to him. The Unit Chief walked towards them, but he suddenly saw himself starting to slip away.

"Elle, wait, why am I going away?" he asked.

"It's not your time yet, Hotch," she replied. She looked like the person she was before she was shot and paralyzed from the waist down. "You died on the operating table. But the doctors were able to bring you back."

"Why can't I stay here?"

"Because you still have more of your life to live. Your wife is going to be having a beautiful baby girl in just over a month and she wants you to be with her when she delivers. You also have a son that loves you so much and would miss you so much if you left. And third, you have a team that cares about you. They look up to you as a leader and friend. Their lives would be forever devastated if you left."

"Elle, Anderson…" were his last words as he faded out of the place.

~CM~

"Aaron," said a voice. "Aaron, honey, it's me, Emily. Can you hear me?"

Hotch opened his eyes and saw his wife staring at him.

"Hi Beautiful," he replied. "What happened to me?"

"Your appendix ruptured," came her response. "You died during the surgery. But you were brought back. Don't you ever scare me like that again, Aaron Hotchner," Emily said, leaning forward to kiss him.

"I saw Elle and Anderson. She didn't even look like the same person. She looked the same way she did before she was paralyzed. And Anderson looked as good as new."

Emily smiled at her husband, then heard someone open the curtain.

"Mr. Hotchner," the doctor said. "How are you feeling? You scared us back there when we lost you on the table. But you're good as new."

"I'm feeling ok considering that I just died."

"That's good to hear that you're ok. We're just going to keep you here for a couple of days to make sure everything's ok."

The doctor gave Hotch some more pain meds and then left the room.

"Emily," the Unit Chief said. "I overheard Ryan talking to Beth and he said that if I didn't return back to the prison within the next twelve hours, then Gideon's dead. I have to go back."

"Aaron, no. We're going to go get him. You died, Aaron! Do you even realize how scared I was when the doctor told me you coded and that you were brought back? I was so scared. I thought I was never going to see you again. Don't lie to me again, ok?"

"I promise."

They kissed again, and the baby responded to the quick movement.

"Oh!" Emily said. "She just kicked."

Aaron put a hand on Emily's belly and felt the little girl kick again.

"Yes, sweetie, I'm here," Hotch said to his daughter. "You won't lose me. And you're not going to lose your mommy either."

There was a knock on the doorframe. Hotch looked up to see his team waiting outside.

"Hey Boss-man," Garcia replied. She walked over to him and gave him a hug.

"Hey guys."

"How you feeling?" Rossi asked.

"Like my side just got run over by a car, but otherwise I'm good."

"Where's Gideon?"

"He's back at the house. I overheard Ryan talking to Beth saying that if I don't return to the prison within twelve hours, then Gideon is dead. I have to go back and help him, Rossi."

"You had your appendix burst and spill toxic substances into your body. Your peritoneum was already becoming necrotic. If you hadn't gone to see a doctor within the next three to four days, you would have been dead. You need to rest up for a few days to make sure there will be no complications."

Hotch groaned at the thought of having to stay in the hospital for several more days. He hated hospitals. He wanted to be back out in the field hunting down Ryan and making sure he would never see the light of day again.

~CM~

Gideon felt so isolated. He felt alone. Had Hotch managed to escape and/or get help?

Jason wanted to go back to the BAU. He wanted to see Seaver. But after their first date about a week ago, he had become distant from her. He did not ask her to go on any more dates with him. He was missing Elle so much and wondered if dating another woman was wrong this quickly after losing his wife.

Gideon looked around the room and saw a brunette woman with slightly-tanned skin sitting in a chair over by the door.

"Elle…" he said, recognizing her right away.

"Jay, I've missed you," her voice quivered. "I'm not real. I'm just a hallucination."

"But...I see you. How are you not real?"

"I'm only a hallucination. I came here to tell you that you need to stop pushing Seaver away from you. She's a wonderful woman who loves you with all her heart. And you just keep shutting her out."

"I...I didn't know if I should be with her after losing you this quickly," Jason replied to the Elle-hallucination.

"I don't want you to grieve over me for the rest of your life. I think that sometime in the future you and Seaver are going to get married and raise Stephen and Phoebe. I want you to be happy, Jay. I want you to be with Seaver. Don't let grief consume you. I will always love you, Jason. I have to go."

"I will always love you too, Elle," he said. Her image faded away and he was left alone in his prison.

~CM~

At the hospital, Hotch was telling the team where he had been held captive.

"I'm going to put that guy's head on a stick," Morgan said after he pulled out his gun. "I will personally kill Ryan myself."

"I want to get a piece of him first," Kate Joyner said. Rossi had asked her to come in and assist the team on their case. "He hurt my girlfriend and he deserves to pay."

"Your girlfriend?" Reid asked. "Who are you going out with?"

"Jessica Brooks. My best friend."

The team grabbed their weapons and headed out of the room, ready to eliminate their enemy once and for all.

~CM~

The team pulled up at the location Hotch had told them about. Morgan and JJ went inside the house first and called out Gideon's name. Rossi and Joyner found James Blake trying to run away, but Joyner arrested him.

"James Blake, you are under arrest for being an accomplice to a wanted fugitive and the murder of FBI Agent Grant Anderson. There are many other charges you will receive in court. We found the bullets used to kill Anderson. They were a match to your gun. That's not going to hold up well in court."

Rossi lead James out to the awaiting SWAT van. The rest of Hotch's team searched the house. JJ and Reid were able to rescue Gideon.

Jason saw Seaver waiting over by the SWAT van. He immediately ran over to her and pulled her close.

"Gideon, what-?" Ashley asked, but was suddenly cut off by him pressing his lips to hers.

"I will never leave your side again," Jason said after he pulled back. "I'm sorry for ignoring your calls and texts. It's just that I didn't know if it was right for me to go out with you after losing my wife not long ago. But she appeared to me in a hallucination. She said it was ok."

Seaver kissed him again.

"Don't scare me like that again," she said. "I don't want to lose you."

"Ashley Jamie Seaver, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes, I would love to be your girlfriend."

They kissed for a third time before the rest of the team walked over to them.

"Sorry, you two lovebirds," Rossi said. "There is no sign of Ryan or Beth. They seem to have vanished. But I was able to find James Blake and arrest him. He's going to go on trial for killing Anderson."

~CM~

That night when Alex got home, she dropped her purse on the counter and suddenly felt so sick to her stomach. She ran to the bathroom and threw up her entire dinner. She and Kari Ryan had dinner together in the hospital.

Alex began counting the days in her head. She realized that she was late by over two weeks. She pulled out a pregnancy test hidden in the top drawer of the bathroom vanity. After completing the instructions, she came back fifteen minutes later to see the results. Her face began to pale and her heart dropped to the floor.

She was pregnant with Anderson's baby. What was she going to tell Jessica? And would she hate her forever?

~CM~

Ryan sat in his car watching the agents leave the BAU. He tapped his fingers together.

"Soon, agents, very soon. You're all going to be dead."

* * *

Author's note: I used a couple of medical/possibly unfamiliar terms in this chapter.

NECROSIS/NECROTIC: When the cells in your tissues begin to die. This can lead to gangrene, which could possibly kill you.

PERITONEUM: The membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity. Inflammation of the peritoneum is called Peritonitis, which can be caused by a ruptured appendix. Peritonitis can lead to sepsis and septic shock, which will kill you.


	59. James's verdict and Hotch's in-laws

Alex drove over to Jessica's house wanting to tell her about the baby. But what would Jessica think? Would Jessica call her a slut for stealing her husband away?

Joyner opened the door.

"Yes?" she asked.

"My name is Alex Blake. I need to speak to Jessica about something," Alex said. "I met her at Anderson's funeral."

"Baby, who is it?" came Jessica's voice.

"It's Alex," Joyner replied. "Alex Blake."

Jessica came out from the kitchen. "Alex? What are you doing here?"

"I have to tell you something about Grant," Blake responded.

"Come in."

Blake stepped through the doorway and into the living room. Joyner sat down on the couch and intertwined her fingers with Jessica's and held her close.

"Jessica, I'm so sorry, but I'm carrying Grant's baby," Alex said.

The blond didn't know how to respond. The woman her husband had cheated on her with was now pregnant.

"I regret every decision I made over the past couple of weeks. I'm sorry. But I don't expect you to forgive me right away."

Jessica felt herself paling. She was furious at Grant.

"Get out of my house!" she snapped. "Get out!"

"I'm sorry," Alex said.

"If my girlfriend says get out, then get out," Joyner replied coldly. "You should leave before she gets angrier."

Blake stood up and headed out of the house. The tears began running down her cheeks. She figured that this was how Jessica was going to react. Alex grabbed her keys out of her purse and sat down in her car. She lifted the bottom of her blouse up to look at her flat stomach.

"Hi in there little one," Alex said to the small life-form growing inside of her. Being only four weeks pregnant meant that the baby was very tiny, around the size of a strawberry seed. It could develop many different diseases and genetic disorders considering that Blake was 38 years old. "I'm going to take good care of you."

~CM~

"The jury has made the final decision," the judge said to the courtroom.

It had been a week since James Blake had been arrested, and today was the day of his trial. Alex was testifying against him and the rest of her team was sitting behind the gates as the judge prepared to read the verdict. Hotch was feeling a little better this time when he stepped into the courtroom knowing that he wasn't about to be sent to prison for the rest of his life.

"I hereby declare that James Alvin Blake has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of FBI Agent Grant Anderson, the attempted kidnapping of his ex-wife, FBI Agent Alex Blake, and for being an accomplice to a wanted fugitive, Max Ryan," the judge said. "I sentence James Blake to three-hundred years in prison."

The gavel was banged against the judge's podium and two prison guards entered the courtroom and dragged James outside. Alex and the team felt relieved because they were one step to eliminating Ryan once and for all. With his accomplices going to jail, Ryan would be forced to come out of hiding and the team would kill him on the spot.

Emily was officially going on her maternity leave today, so Kate Joyner was now her temporary replacement. When Joyner saw that Alex was on the team, Joyner immediately became threatened by the woman's presence.

"What are you doing here?" Joyner snapped. "You little slut, how'd you get a job like this?"

"I'm not a slut!" Alex snapped back. "And I got this job long before you did."

"You're still the little home-wrecker."

"Agent Joyner, Agent Blake, is there a problem?" Hotch asked, walking over to the two women.

"I have a problem with her," Kate said. "She slept with my girlfriend's husband and is now carrying that man's child!"

"Well, get over it," Hotch replied. "You're only working on my team for a few months until Emily has her baby and comes back. But if you show me that you are a good profiler, then maybe I'll consider you to stay longer."

Alex and Joyner stayed away from each other the rest of the day. Kate headed home and found her girlfriend lying down on the couch.

"Hey beautiful," Kate said, kissing her. "How was your day?"

"Tiring. Matthew's quite a handful to look after," Jessica replied. "Why do you look like you just had the worst day?"

"Because that slut Alex Blake is on the team."

"Really?"

"You knew she was on Hotch's team?"

"Yes I did; I may have forgotten to mention it."

~CM~

The next morning was Saturday, so Hotch wasn't too worried about sleeping in. He awoke and decided to leave a note for Emily to tell her where he was going. Jack had spent the night at Jessica and Kate's.

It was eight AM and not many people were awake at this time of the morning. Hotch used one of his many keys to unlock the front door.

"Hi Daniel, hi Nancy," Hotch said, entering into the kitchen. Emily's father-in-law Daniel was sitting at the dining room table while his new wife Nancy prepared breakfast.

"Hi Aaron," the in-laws replied. They loved their son-in-law very much and were very excited to have another grandchild in just under a month.

"I made some pancakes," Nancy said. "Would you like some?"

"Yes please," he replied. "I'll have two."

Nancy grabbed the batter and prepared to make his breakfast.

"Have you guys gotten your mail yet?" Hotch asked. He knew it was a dumb question to ask, but he needed to explain something to his stepmother-in-law. Also, mail usually came at 7 AM on a Saturday morning.

"No. Why do you ask?" Nancy questioned.

"Well, it's just that maybe today you'll accidently get some of our mail and we might get a couple of your things."

Daniel stopped eating his breakfast and turned to his son-in-law.

"What exactly do you get that's mine?" Daniel asked.

"Um, nothing really important. Sometimes Emily and I get a few coupons and flyers, maybe a couple of ads," Hotch said.

"Where is all that mail?"

"Unless it's not like grocery stores and Costco or Target, we usually just throw them into the recycling bin."

"You throw out coupons, even the unimportant ones? That's still money!"

Nancy flipped the pancakes and set some bacon into the frying pan, the oil sizzling away.

"Look, I-"

But Daniel interrupted Hotch by setting his fork down on his plate.

"Look, all I'm saying is that you might get a piece of our mail. That's all," Hotch repeated.

"How much were the coupons worth?" Nancy asked.

"I don't know!"

"Oh my gosh," Daniel said. "Did you get the one for tile and hardwood floor cleaning?"

Hotch thought about the statement for a second.

"I don't know, maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I think Emily might have thrown that one out."

"That was a fifty-dollar coupon!" Daniel exclaimed. "I have been looking for that one since it was supposed to come last Saturday!"

"You know what, Dad? I'll give you sixty dollars right now if you stop talking about this situation!" Hotch said.

Ever since he and Emily got married, he had grown accustomed to calling Daniel and Nancy 'Mom and Dad'.

"Do you not think I'm going to take it? I will!" Daniel replied.

Nancy had just taken the pancakes off the griddle when she noticed that Hotch was pulling his wallet out of his pocket.

"No! No!" she cried, stepping between her husband and son-in-law.

"You will not be taking one penny of his money!" Nancy scolded to Daniel.

"Well, how else is he going to learn?" he asked. "He needs to be taught to stop throwing out other people's mail!"

Daniel slammed his hand down on the table.

"And that's not how you do it! If you really want to teach him a lesson, then you'll make him clean the tile and hardwood floors. He'll definitely remember that."

She turned to Hotch. "Do you want syrup, butter, or both on your pancakes?"

Emily's sister Evelyn entered the house carrying the mail.

"Syrup," Hotch said.

Evelyn set the mail down on the counter. "Pancakes?"

"Yep, they're fresh and hot. How many?" Nancy asked.

"Four. Butter and syrup."

Evelyn walked over to the table and sat down while Nancy set the pancakes down in front of her stepdaughter.

"Is that the mail?" Daniel wondered.

"I'll get it, Dad," Hotch replied.

But the father-in-law was closer to the countertop, so he grabbed the pile first.

"Hands off, mail-tosser!" Daniel said.

He looked at the pile and begin setting multiple things aside.

"Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap….yes!" he said, holding up a coupon. "Coupon! Here's one that didn't get thrown out."

Daniel turned to his wife. "Nancy, do we need a new dishwasher with half-price installation and three-year warranty?"

"No," she replied.

"Here, this is to add to your collection," he said, handing the coupon to Hotch.

After setting a couple of ads aside, Daniel found an envelope.

"Nancy, there's a letter here for you. It's from Emily."

"Mom, are we going to eat or read?"

Evelyn gave her brother-in-law a look that said, _Would you shut up?_

Nancy opened the envelope.

"Mother, that's the invite for the dinner party last week. You came over and you had a lot of fun," Hotch said, taking the letter that Emily wrote.

"No, that's a letter," Nancy replied.

"You don't because it has the directions to our house on it."

However, he didn't hold the paper tight enough in his hand and it was loose enough that Daniel was able to snatch it.

Hotch turned around and said, "Hey!"

"This is your mother-in-law's mail! What is wrong with you?" Daniel asked.

He walked away from his son-in-law a little bit, then began to read the letter.

"'Dear Mother,'" Daniel began, heading over towards the stove.

"I'm guessing it's a thank-you note," Nancy spoke up.

"Oh really?" Daniel said, then chuckled a bit.

"Dad-" Hotch began.

Nancy cut her son-in-law off. "No, read it, Daniel."

"'This letter has taken a lot of thought and time for me to write. For three years I've been wanting to tell you what I thought of you.'"

"Oh my gosh," was Evelyn's simple response as she turned to look at her father. She even stopped eating her pancakes. Then she turned to her brother-in-law, completely shocked.

Hotch was embarrassed. "I really need to-"

"Sit down!" Nancy ordered, grabbing his arm and forcing him to sit at the table.

"This is between you and Emily, now please leave me out!" Hotch begged.

"We don't keep secrets from one another in this family," was Nancy's reply. "Keep reading."

"With pleasure," said Daniel. "'Just because you're my mother and also happen to live down the street from me doesn't mean you have the right to interfere with the aspects of my life!'"

Daniel started laughing while Nancy glared at him.

He cleared his throat. "From raising Jack to my choice of air freshener-'"

"Alright, let me just say that Emily has a problem with vodka," Hotch spoke up.

"She better not!" Nancy replied, knowing how dangerous alcohol was to an unborn baby.

Daniel walked over towards the front door again, while Hotch tried to grab the letter. But Daniel just held the paper in his hands and began smacking Hotch's hands with the paper.

"'You may not realize it, but you're very over-controlling, bossy, and intrusive,'" Daniel said. His face suddenly lit up. "Is this a voting ballot? Where should I sign?"

"I've heard enough," Nancy replied, getting up from the table and walking down the hall.

"Come on, Mom, Emily didn't really mean it!" Hotch exclaimed.

Nancy came back a few seconds later with a pen and paper in her hand.

"Dear Emily," she said.

"Really, Mom? No. Please, not another letter," Hotch replied.

"Well, Emily's not the only one who thinks she can use big fancy words."

She stared ahead at the wall for a minute.

"Darn it, where's my dictionary?" she demanded, getting up from the table again to head down the hall.

"Mom! Really, she didn't mean it!"

Emily opened the front door a few seconds later. Her huge belly was making walking a little more difficult than normal.

"Hey, um, did you happen to get the-" she asked.

"The mail? Oh yeah," Evelyn replied, then went right back to her pancakes.

Nancy came back with a dictionary in her hand. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Emily.

"Aaron, did everyone read the letter?" Emily asked.

"You're my favorite writer!" Daniel exclaimed, still holding the paper in his hands.

"Hello Emily," Nancy said coldly.

"Hello Mother," she replied.

"I got your letter."

"Mother, I'm sorry. It was a really big mistake; I shouldn't have sent the letter."

"NOW?!" Hotch exclaimed. "You say that now?! I do need to say something: your timing really sucks!"

"I should have just told it to your face," Emily said. "When I wrote it, I was really angry-"

"And drunk," Hotch added.

Emily jokingly glared at her husband.

"Em, I was just wanting to be a part of a family for once. When your mother passed away, I was just a woman out on the streets. My husband cheated on me and beat me to a pulp. My father was a complete jerk and my mother was always on drugs and is in and out of jail. I became the over-bearing person you might see me as because that was the only way I ever knew things. When I met your father, it was like I had a clean slate. Everything was perfect. He was a light that shone through darkness. It took Evelyn some time to warm up to me, but you were a lot quicker to welcome me to the family. But when you got married to Aaron and moved away, I felt the family I worked so hard to finally have begin to fade away. I'm sorry that I have been overbearing and intrusive, and I'm going to try my best overcome those characteristics," Nancy said.

"I forgive you, Mother," Emily replied, embracing her stepmother.


	60. Death, a trial, and Joyner's proposal

Ryan heard a knock on his front door. Thinking that it was Beth, he opened the door. But he was suddenly greeted by a hooded figure.

"You disobeyed my orders," they said. "You were never the real killer I designed you to be. Now it's time for me to finish the job."

"No, please don't!" Ryan begged. "I don't have enough people to do my missions! They're either dead or arrested. The BAU is going to find me very soon and I won't have gotten a chance to bring them down. Give me one more chance, please."

"You lost your chance!" the figure snapped, stepping inside the house and slamming Ryan against the wall. "I told you to kill the BAU. And instead, you disobeyed my orders and hired a bunch of people to do your dirty work. It's time you went where your other friends went."

The figure pulled out a gun with a silencer attached to it and pulled the trigger twice. The bullets hit Ryan in the chest, the bullets going straight through him and landing on the floor. The figure picked up the bullets with gloves and shut the door behind them as they headed back to their car.

~CM~

Beth was getting worried about her boss considering that he hadn't called her to do any more missions. She decided to head back to the house and see if he was alright.

But when she opened the front door, she was horrified to find her boss's body on the floor, two bullet holes in his chest. She pondered on whether she should call the FBI or not. If she did, then she'd definitely be going back to prison. But maybe she could get a deal with the DA.

She nervously picked up the phone and dialed the BAU.

"Behavioral Analysis Unit, this is Strauss," said the voice.

"This is Beth Clemmons. I'm calling to report that Max Ryan is dead. I entered the house and found him dead with two gunshots to the chest," Beth replied.

"Alright, Ms. Clemmons, we'll need the address and we'll be on our way there. Maybe we'll cut a deal with the DA for cooperating."

Beth waited by the house. She knew she just risked herself and was going to get thrown back into prison. But she knew her sentence wouldn't be long because she never killed or kidnapped anyone.

The BAU arrived five minutes later. Beth was going back to court today to have her sentence decided.

~CM~

Five hours later, Hotch and his team were sitting once again in the courtroom. But Hotch was up at the front because he was having to testify for letting her out of prison while he was in his mind-controlled state.

"I hereby sentence Beth Clemmons to six years in prison for escaping, assisting a wanted fugitive, and for the attempted kidnapping of FBI Agent Emily Prentiss-Hotchner. Court adjourned," the judge said, banging his gavel, then walking out of the room. The team wasn't so happy with the judge's decision, but at least it was better than letting Beth walk free. But with Ryan dead, there was still two large mysteries to solve: finding out who killed Ryan and if Ryan was the killer after all.

Garcia was back at the BAU reviewing Ryan's autopsy reports. A tox screen had just been sent to her email. She found something very interesting and needed to tell Hotch the news. She dialed his cell phone number.

"Garcia? You found something?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir. It was very interesting. I just got the tox screen back from the coroner and discovered that Ryan was under the influence of a drug called Sodium Amytal. It's used in truth serums, but can also be a mind-control drug," she replied.

"Wait. Did you just say mind-control?"

"Yes, Sir, I did. I thought that maybe this was a coincidence to Lewis, but the records haven't changed. Lewis is dead and the drugs he used were destroyed. This is a completely different drug."

"Can you buy it?"

"No."

"Thanks Garcia."

Hotch turned to his remaining team members. "We've got work to do to find out who killed Ryan. He had the only answers we wanted and needed and now he's gone. The person who killed him is going to pay for destroying our chance to get justice for the people we've lost to him."

~CM~

Even though it hadn't been long since Anderson's death, Joyner didn't want to spend another day alone without Jessica. Joyner was going to ask her girlfriend to marry her.

Jessica was at home taking care of Matthew. He was such a sweet little boy that didn't deserve to not have a father to be with him.

Joyner came through the door about ten minutes later, the small ring box in her jacket pocket and a box of groceries in her hand. Kate pretended to struggle with the large box, causing the ring box to fall onto the ground. Jessica picked up the ring box and opened it. Joyner set the groceries down on the table and turned to face her girlfriend. Kate got down on one knee.

"I know it's a really bad time to ask you the question. I'm really sorry I asked you now, but I can't live another day without you. Jessica Brooks, will you do the honor of becoming my wife?" Joyner asked.

Jessica felt the tears come. "Yes, Kate, I will!"

~CM~

Outside the Brooks household-soon to be Brooks-Joyner-the figure looked over at the gun sitting on the passenger seat. They needed to bring down the BAU since Ryan had been a complete idiot. The figure hadn't trusted him at all.

"You two are going to get married," the figure said, seeing the two women kiss and hug and look at the engagement ring. "Well, let's hope that you'll make it to your wedding day. Maybe you will, maybe you won't. We'll just have to wait and see."

The figure was pondering on whether they should enter the house or not. If they did enter, then one of the women would probably pick up the phone and dial the BAU. Then the plan would be completely ruined.

~CM~

Hotch and Emily decided to go home and relax for the evening. They decided to play Minecraft, but what Hotch didn't know was that Emily had a plan. Since the two of them played on a multiplayer world, both of them could give each other supplies, trade, and do things together.

Emily put herself on creative mode and snuck into Hotch's house while he went out to fight and kill monsters. She spawned a lot of zombies in his house and stole his torches and bed so that when he died, he would have to travel a long way to get back to the house.

Emily nonchalantly left the house, making sure all the zombies stayed inside. She headed back to her house and went to sleep.

Hotch guided his character back to his house at dawn. The zombies and skeletons outside had burned in the sunlight. He entered his house and suddenly became aware of a moaning sound. He noticed that his house was missing a door and torches. Luckily, he had a couple of extra torches with him, so he set one down on the floor of the house...and discovered the horde of zombies in his house.

Emily watched her husband freak out and run out of his house.

"Emily, you have no idea how much I want to kill you right now," he teased his wife.

She thought the baby must have heard what her daddy said because Emily suddenly felt a hard kick to her stomach.

"Ow," Emily said. "Sweetie, it's ok. Daddy's not going to hurt me."

She rubbed her stomach comfortingly to reassure her daughter.

Little did they know that their lives were about to be destroyed forever when the real killer showed their face. Someone was going to die. And the team had no idea who it was going to be. But the killer knew exactly who they would be eliminating.


	61. Cynthia Ana Hotchner

It had been a month since Max Ryan's death. Whoever killed him was now either hiding in Quantico or had escaped because there had been no activity within the last month. But the BAU never stopped looking for the real killer.

Emily was now nine months pregnant and ready for her daughter to come into the world. Garcia and Strauss's pregnancies were coming along nicely. Callahan had resigned from the BAU a month-and-a-half ago and was now working as Gideon and Seaver's babysitter. Her job was pretty easy since everything was left out on the counter for her to grab if she needed anything. Joyner and Jessica's wedding was in a week and everyone on the team-including Blake-had been invited. Jessica had forgiven Blake for what she had done with Anderson.

Emily was at home relaxing when she felt the first contraction hit. She had her cell phone next to her at all times. That was for either an emergency or if she was going into labor.

She waited about fifteen more minutes and the contractions were becoming closer together. She quickly picked up the phone and dialed Hotch.

"Em, what's up?" he asked.

"It's time," she said. "She's coming!"

"Alright, I'm on my way home. I just left work. Hopefully traffic isn't too bad. I'll be five minutes. Love you."

"Love you too."

Within five minutes, Hotch arrived at home and immediately went to take care of Emily.

"Where's Jack?" he asked.

"With Jessica and Kate. I started feeling these contraction-probably Braxton Hicks-yesterday, so I dropped him off with Jessica. She agreed to take care of him until the baby's born."

Hotch immediately grabbed the go-bag by the front door and helped Emily out to the car. He called their neighbor and asked her to look after the house while they were gone for a few days.

Hotch stepped on the gas pedal and ended up going past the speed limit. He was stopped by a passing cop.

"License and registration, please," the cop said.

Hotch handed him his driver's license, ID, and registration.

"FBI?" the cop asked. "What are you doing going past the speed limit?"

Hotch leaned back in his seat so that the cop could see Emily.

"My husband's trying to get me to the hospital," she replied.

"I'm sorry. Good luck on the baby."

The cop handed Hotch back his items and the couple took off for the hospital.

~CM~

Hotch pulled the car up to the entrance just as Emily was doubled over in pain. Her contractions were only four minutes apart, so that meant that their baby was going to be arriving soon.

"My wife's about to deliver soon," Hotch said when he reached the front desk. "There should be a room booked under Hotchner."

"I see," the receptionist replied. She pulled out her walkie-talkie. "I need some help at the front desk; we have a woman who's going into labor soon."

Immediately, several nurses and a doctor were rushing into the main room of the hospital with a gurney and pain medicine.

Emily was loaded up and being rushed down to Labor &amp; Delivery.

"I want my husband in the room with me," she said to the nurses. Hotch pulled up a chair and sat down next to her as they prepped her for the delivery.

"Alright, Mrs. Hotchner, when you feel a contraction, push as hard as you can," the doctor said.

Emily grabbed ahold of Hotch's hand when the contraction hit. She cried out in pain since she hadn't gotten any pain medicine to numb the lower half of her body.

"I'd say that your baby's going to be born within the next hour," the doctor said. "You're doing great, Emily."

After another fifteen minutes, the doctor had some news for the expecting parents.

"You're dilated 10 centimeters, Emily, so you're good to start pushing again."

She felt the contraction rip through her body, causing her to grip her husband's hand even tighter.

"I can see the head," the doctor continued. "You're doing just fine."

After ten minutes, Emily was feeling exhausted. She didn't know if she could push anymore. Just when she thought she was going to have to push again, she realized that her body felt lighter. There was the sound of a baby crying as the doctor began wrapping up a little bundle.

Emily smiled after hearing her daughter for the first time. She saw the baby being taken away.

"Wait, where are you going with her?" Emily asked.

"She needs to get a few tests done to make sure she's healthy," the doctor said. "She'll be back here in a half hour."

Hotch kissed his wife's forehead. "You did great, sweetheart."

Within a half hour, the nurse was walking down the hall with a pink-blanketed bundle.

"I think I have someone here who wants to see her parents," the nurse said, handing the baby to Emily.

"Hi," she replied, cuddling the little girl. "You're so beautiful. I'm going to love you everyday. You are so precious."

Emily handed the baby to Hotch, who was fighting hard not to cry. But he couldn't help himself.

His daughter was here. The love of his life carried this beautiful little girl for nine months. There was a little boy at home who couldn't wait to hold and see his little sister. And his co-workers were like the family he never had. His in-laws were going to be so excited when they saw their granddaughter. Hotch knew he couldn't ask for more in his life.

"Knock-knock," someone said. The new parents looked up to see the team waiting outside.

"Aw, that's so precious," Garcia replied. "She's beautiful. She looks so much like her mother."

"You guys have a name for this little one?" Rossi asked, his arm wrapped around Erin. She was holding Alyse in her arms.

"We hadn't actually decided yet," Emily replied. She turned to her husband. "What should we name her?"

"Cynthia Ana Hotchner," was Aaron's response.

The little girl smiled at the mention of her name.

"I think she likes it," Emily said.

Next to walk in the room was Daniel and Nancy. There were more than excited to hold their first granddaughter.

~CM~

However, outside the hospital, the hooded figure sat in their car, watching the team. He put his hands together and reached for the gun on the passenger seat.

"Well, well, Aaron Hotchner doesn't even suspect that the real killer all along is coming to get him. You think your life is happy right now with your newborn daughter and with Ryan dead, but your life won't be so great anymore once I end you. You'll never even see it coming," the killer said. "You will be the only person to see who I really am before you die. And only then will my mission will be complete."


	62. Hotchner is down

**AN: Hey guys, I really want to thank you for your reviews, favorites, and follows. That really means a lot to me, thank you so much! It encourages me to write more. Anyway, I was planning on making this story 65 chapters long. But I was wondering if you readers had any ideas on what should happen in the story. You can suggest an idea to me through PM or in a review. Tell me your thoughts and I'll most likely include them in the coming chapters! Hopefully I can hit seventy or more chapters. That would be really awesome. :)**

**Anyway, enough notes from me. On with the story...**

* * *

Three days later, Emily was released from the hospital. She cuddled Cynthia all the way out to the car and then set the little girl in her carrier. Hotch drove his wife and daughter home, then headed back to the BAU. He needed to focus on who the perpetrator was behind Ryan's death. Hotch was going to find out who this creep was and put a bullet in their head. But he was also focusing on the Joyner-Brooks wedding. It was going to be an exciting day for everyone and it was also going to be a day where no one was going to focus on work or the killer.

Hotch had started getting the feeling that someone was following him, but every time he would turn around, no one was there.

But one day when he got home, he heard a rustling in the bushes outside his house. He pulled out his gun as a precaution. When he turned around, he was suddenly hit in the face with a hard object, knocking him unconscious.

"Aaron?" Emily asked. "Aaron, are you alright?"

She saw a hooded figure take off into the night, but then came the moaning sound. She saw that her husband was down on the ground just starting to regain consciousness.

"Aaron, what happened?" she asked. She helped her husband sit up and carried him back into the house and took him over to the couch. She went into the kitchen to grab a ice pack and allowed him to rest his head.

"I...I don't know. I remember hearing something in the bushes and then I was hit in the face with something hard. Probably a crowbar," he said.

"Aaron, we should take you to the hospital and get you checked out," she replied. "You could have a serious head injury."

"I'm alright. Though right before I was knocked out, I saw something shiny. The streetlight reflected off of the object. I think the object might have been a badge, but I'm not entirely certain."

"Law enforcement? You think the killer's in law enforcement?"

"I think so. As for what branch, I think it might have been FBI or police."

"FBI? Does that mean we have to question the team?"

"Only Rossi, Reid, Gideon, and Morgan. Judging by the force that the metal object hit me, it appears as though this hit could only have been carried out by a man."

~CM~

The next morning, the team was gathered out in the bullpen. Hotch was holding an icepack against his head.

"Hotch, are you ok?" Morgan asked.

"My head's just a bit sore," the Unit Chief asked. "Agent Morgan, may I see you in the interrogation room please?"

"Um...ok."

Morgan followed his boss down the hall into one of the interrogation rooms. Derek was starting to become a little concerned. What could he possibly have done that needed interrogating?

"Agent Morgan, where were you last night around 8 PM?" Hotch asked.

"I was out at Houston's restaurant with Garcia. I even have the receipt from when we were eating."

Morgan had paid at exactly 8 PM, so it wasn't possible that he had committed the attack. Hotch questioned Reid, Rossi, and Gideon, but all three of them had alibis. So who exactly had attacked him last night?

~CM~

Two days later, it was the day of the Brooks-Joyner wedding. But what Hotch didn't know was that Death was coming his way. Or at least close to him.

Hotch was really happy for his ex-sister-in-law. He was glad that she had found someone who would stand by her side.

The wedding progressed very quickly. Once Joyner and Jessica were pronounced 'wife and wife', the two women quickly headed out to the dance floor and invited everyone else to join in.

Hotch turned to his wife. "May I have this dance, Mrs. Hotchner?"

"Of course," Emily replied, taking his hand as he pulled her out to the dance floor.

The song was 'Love me like you do', Emily's favorite.

_You're the light, you're the night_

_You're the color of my blood_

_You're the cure, you're the pain_

_You're the only thing I wanna touch_

_Never knew that it could mean so much, so much_

_You're the fear, I don't care_

_'Cause I've never been so high_

_Follow me to the dark_

_Let me take you past our satellites_

_You can see the world you brought to life, to life_

_So love me like you do, lo-lo-love me like you do_

_Love me like you do, lo-lo-love me like you do_

_Touch me like you do, to-to-touch me like you do_

_What are you waiting for?_

_Fading in, fading out_

_On the edge of paradise_

_Every inch of your skin is a holy gray I've got to find_

_Only you can set my heart on fire, on fire_

_Yeah, I'll let you set the pace_

_'Cause I'm not thinking straight_

_My head spinning around I can't see clear no more_

_What are you waiting for?_

About halfway through the song, Hotch got up and headed to the bathroom. But he realized that he shouldn't have gone alone.

When he stepped inside, he suddenly became aware of a presence. He reached for his gun, but it was too late. The figure, still wearing his mask and hood, pulled out a gun with a silencer on it and pulled the trigger twice. Both bullets hit Hotch in the chest, causing him to fall onto the floor, blood soaking his white shirt.

The figure took off his mask and allowed Hotch to see the REAL identity of the killer.

"No…" Hotch mumbled, starting to have some breathing trouble. "It can't be."

"You'll live," the figure said, putting his gun away. "This is to send your team a message. Stop hunting me and I'll leave you and your friends and family alone. Otherwise someone will die. Next time you're not going to be so lucky."


	63. Plot Twist

**AN 1: It was hard for me to write this scene. I was listening to sad music when I wrote it. I was internally crying the whole time.**

**AN 2: Sorry HOTCHFANATIC, but I had to include this terrible Hotch moment. It was in my head all along. There will be a plot twist, however. Kill me all you want to.**

* * *

Emily was starting to become worried about her husband. It had been almost ten minutes since he had left to go to the bathroom but he hadn't come back yet.

"Rossi, have you seen Hotch?" she asked. Dave replied by saying he was going to check and see if Hotch was alright.

Rossi entered the bathroom and found Hotch on his back, two gunshot wounds to the chest. He was bleeding heavily and he looked extremely pale.

"Oh my gosh, Aaron!" Rossi cried, running over to his best friend's side. The older man began CPR as the Unit Chief began to fade away.

Dave pulled out his phone and dialed 911. The ambulances arrived five minutes later and were immediately rushing Hotch to the nearest hospital…

~CM~

The team was in the waiting room for news on Hotch. It had been six hours and Emily had gone home only for a few minutes to bring Cynthia and Jack back to the hospital.

The doctor came out to the waiting room.

"May I please speak to Emily Hotchner?" he asked. "Alone."

"That's me," she replied. She followed him to the hallway and closed the door. She noticed that the team was watching her listen to the doctor.

"Mrs. Hotchner…" the doctor said. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"What? What is going on?"

"Your husband didn't make it."

Emily's faced paled dramatically. She saw the team looking at her with concern.

"No! No! It can't be!" she said, breaking down crying. The man she loved more than her own life was dead. She was now a single parent, looking after a little boy and a newborn.

"I'm sorry."

~CM~

*****A week later*****

Rossi held a large wad of cash in his hand, along with some documents and house keys. He continued walking down the street until he reached a restaurant patio area in Downtown Quantico. He sat down at a table across from a figure. The figure was tall and had dark hair. Their clothes were slightly wrinkled.

"Money and house keys for you," Rossi said, setting the items down. The figure took the items and placed them in their pocket.

"Thank you," they said.

"You're welcome. I promise we'll find him, Hotch. We'll find the man that did this to you. Once he's dead, then you'll be able to go home to your wife and kids."

"I miss them so much, Dave. It hurts so much."

"I know, but if you want to survive, you're going to have to hide. That's why I'm giving you a key to a safehouse in New York. Also, I have a plane ticket for you to go there, but I don't have one for you to come back, so I'll call you when we catch him. I promise whoever this creep is will die and pay for what he's done."

Hotch took the ticket from his best friend and headed off to a taxi that was going to the apartment.

Rossi knew his wife and team might never trust him again after he had kept the secret of faking their boss's death again for the second time. But Rossi needed to keep Hotch's 'death' a secret if the BAU was to find his attacker.

~CM~

Strauss and Garcia were having a double OBGYN appointment to find out how their little ones were doing. Unfortunately, Morgan and Rossi had to stay behind and look after the team since Hotch wasn't there. Emily was the person who was most affected by Hotch's death. She had to explain to her little stepson that his dad wasn't ever coming back. And how was she supposed to tell Cynthia the news when she was old enough to understand her father's job?

Chris Callahan volunteered to look after Cynthia and Jack while Emily went to work. The brunette woman was very grateful for the support.

Blake had told the team two days before the wedding that she was pregnant. The team was a little disappointed at her actions for stealing Anderson away from Jessica, but in the end, the team was happy for her. She also revealed that she had gone out for dinner with Kari, who was well enough to be released from the hospital. The two women agreed to meet up again in a week because they both had a night free.

At the hospital, Garcia and Strauss walked down the hall to the OBGYN's office. The two women were lead down to separate rooms. Strauss played a game on her phone while she waited for the gynecologist to come in with the equipment. Garcia put a hand on her stomach and imagined herself with the baby already born. She wanted to be a mother so badly.

In the first room, the gynecologist entered with the ultrasound machine.

"Good morning…" she said, then looked down at her patient clipboard. "Erin. That's correct, right?"

"Yes," Strauss replied. She laid back on the table and lifted her shirt up.

"You're already in the swing of things. You done this before?"

"Yes. I just had a little girl about four months ago."

"Is your husband going to be coming?"

"Unfortunately, no. He's stuck with a bunch of crap at work. He told me that he would rather be here than at work."

Five minutes later, the ultrasound showed a small image of a very tiny baby. Erin was happy to see another miracle growing inside her. The baby was healthy considering that Erin was in her fifties, an incredibly dangerous age to even be pregnant. There could be a lot of health risks and the baby could have mental and physical problems.

Garcia's little one was progressing normally. She wouldn't know the gender for another few months, but she was just happy that the baby was healthy.

~CM~

Hayden Montgomery, Rossi's first ex-wife, was back in town due to some political work. Even though they had been divorced for years, she was still in love with him. But she had no idea that he had remarried again and was actually happy in his marriage. So, she had an idea of how to win back her ex-husband.

She headed over to the only bar in Quantico and saw Rossi sitting near the bar counter. When he saw her, he was surprised to see that she had a wedding ring on.

"Hayden," he said. "I didn't expect to see you here. What brought you back to Quantico?"

"Political things," she replied. "I have some assignments to do for the Ambassador."

The two talked for a while and after Dave got up to go to the bathroom, Hayden pulled a small vial of a powdered drug and poured the powder into his glass. She stirred in the powder to make sure that he wouldn't see it when he came back to the table.

After two minutes, Dave came back and finished his drink. Hayden only had a couple of glasses so she was the least sober and was able to drive him back to his house without causing an accident. Erin was still working on their latest case and trying to figure out who had shot Hotch and caused his death.

Rossi and Hayden walked back into his house and had a few more drinks. Soon after, the drug began to take affect, but he wasn't aware of himself being under the influence.

Erin arrived home about an hour later and found a woman's shirt on the floor. She was suspicious and headed upstairs to find Rossi with his ex-wife.

"What the heck, Dave!" Erin snapped. "You little creep! How could you do such a thing?"

"Erin, please, let me explain," he began.

"No! I don't want to hear it!" she said. "I want a divorce and that's final. You don't deserve to see Alyse anymore. If you want to talk to me, then you'll have to go through my lawyer first. We'll discuss this more in the morning."

Erin turned around and grabbed her daughter and an overnight bag and ran out the door.

~CM~

Erin opened her eyes. She looked around and discovered that she was back at home. She became aware of Rossi's presence beside her. She punched him in the arm.

"You jerk!" she said.

"Ow!" he cried out, waking up. "What was that for?"

"You cheated on me with Hayden, your ex-wife!"

"What are you talking about? Hayden lives in Germany. I haven't spoken to that woman in over fifteen years. I saw that you were thrashing around in your sleep. It was all just a dream. I would never do that to you. Never."

He kissed her reassuringly. "I love you too much to lose you or my family."

"I love you too."


	64. The Killer Unmasks Himself to JJ

**AN: This chapter (the second part) is slightly graphic, but not too much on the 'M' side. I'll try and keep the graphicness down to a low 'M' level.**

* * *

Rossi was finding it hard to keep Hotch's 'second death' a secret. He remembered a conversation he had with Hotch the third day after he was released from the hospital.

_"Do you know who attacked you in the bathroom?"_

_"Yes, but now I don't remember who it was. All I remember is up to the point where he took off his mask. But I remember something else that I blocked out. He said not to tell anyone who he was or the team was going to get hurt. Then everything goes black," Hotch had said._

_"He? Our killer is a he?"_

_"Yes. But I assume he's the same person who attacked me outside my house almost two weeks ago."_

_"We'll find him, I promise you that. He'll be getting a bullet through his head."_

Rossi shook his head and continued on with the case. He remembered Hotch saying that the person who attacked him might have had a badge. The BAU had already questioned Will, but he said that the neighbor had come over for two hours. The security cameras showed that Will was indeed telling the truth. So who exactly was the real killer since Ryan was dead?

* * *

JJ had taken the day off work to look after Henry since his babysitter was unavailable to come and watch him. Reid stayed at the BAU and promised to continue investigating who had killed Hotch.

But JJ shouldn't have gone home alone. The killer had followed her to her house and waited for the right moment when she would disarm the security system. He also knew how to avoid the security cameras since he had blackmailed Kevin Lynch into working for him.

Kevin shut off the cameras and allowed the killer to enter JJ's house. He climbed up to the second story and reached the bedroom. In his pocket was a set of sharp objects and gauzes and bandages. He was now going to send the team another message telling them to leave him alone, otherwise all of them would be getting hurt.

He pulled out a gun and quietly snuck downstairs. Just as JJ realized that someone else was in her house, he put a gun to the back of her head and told her to come upstairs. JJ obeyed the instructions and was forced into a bedroom. She had terrible thoughts running through her mind, especially when her wrists and ankles were bound to the bedposts.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to do what you think I'm going do to you," the killer said. JJ's eyes widened when she realized who was talking to her. Her face began to pale.

"You recognize me, huh? Well, I'm going to send your little friends a message telling them to leave me alone."

"They will end you," JJ replied. "If I wasn't restrained, I would have already ended you."

"That's really nice, Jennifer, but that's not going to happen. I already have something else planned for you. Something special that you're never going to forget for the rest of your life."

The killer pulled out a scalpel, which caused her to panic.

"Will, please, you don't have to do this…oh my gosh! I can't believe you! You were always behind it all!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't even try to deny it. You mind-controlled Max Ryan into committing everything and hiring people. Because of you, Hotch is dead, Callahan is paralyzed from her abdomen down for the rest of her life, Anderson was murdered, Beth stalked Hotch and nearly caused a divorce, I was kidnapped and mind-controlled, Emily was almost kidnapped, and Elle is dead! You hurt me and my family! I won't let you do it anymore!"

"Shut up, JJ!" Will snapped. "No one will ever know it's me. Because if you say one word to any of your co-workers, then I will kill Henry and Spencer."

"No, please don't! Leave them alone!"

"Did I say you could tell me what to do? I think not. Enough out of you."

Will tied a cloth around her mouth as he brought the scalpel closer to her.

"Did you know that what I'm about to do to you is extremely painful? The only way for this not to hurt to be put under general anesthesia. Unfortunately, I don't have any with me, and even if I did manage to get my hands on some, you wouldn't be getting it anyway."

Will used one hand to turn JJ's head to the left and to keep her secure. Then he took the shorter scalpel and made a cut along the base of her ear. JJ winced slightly, but when the cut began to get deeper into her head, she screamed. It was so painful, but no one could hear her screaming over the music and the cloth tied around her mouth. Will took the longer scalpel and the point touched her inner ear. This caused JJ to scream louder than she ever had before. She could feel every cut that Will made. She heard him pick up another tool. It sounded like a pair of plyers, like the ones the dentist would use to take out teeth. She felt Will grab onto something-probably a bone-in her ear, and she realized that her hearing was fading away from her every passing second. She felt blood dripping onto her shoulder, which he cleaned up with a towel.

After another minute, whatever Will had done was over. She could no longer feel the scalpel or plyers. She couldn't hear out of her left ear anymore and then saw the bloody paper towels sitting on her nightstand.

"Goodbye, JJ," Will said. "Have fun with only being able to hear out of one ear. But first, let's see how much damage I actually caused."

He picked up her phone and dialed Reid, who answered right away.

"JJ, what's up?" he asked.

"Sorry, Spencer, but your wife is unavailable to come to the phone right now. Actually, she is, but there's going to be a little surprise when you come back home from work today," Will said.

"Who is this and where's my wife?"

"She's at home, but right now, she has a little bit of a hearing problem."

Will put the phone next to her left ear.

"Speak to her. Let's see if she can actually hear you."

"JJ?" Reid asked. But he received no response. "Jennifer?"

"You see? She can't hear you. She can't hear anyone anymore," Will taunted. "Just kidding, she still has one good ear."

"What did you do to her?" Reid snapped. "What did you do to my wife?"

"Oh nothing, it's just that she's deaf in her left ear. Anyway, I must be going. I'll be long gone before you can catch me. You'll probably never see me again."

The line clicked and Will set her phone down on the table. He had worn gloves the entire time during the call and during the procedure, so now the BAU wouldn't be able to get a good DNA sample. He quickly packed up his things and left the house, throwing the weapons and paper towels in the trash can. He then climbed out the window and headed out to his car and disappeared down the road.


	65. Will & Emily

**AN: And with this chapter, we are heading towards the end. I will include another epilogue as the very last chapter. Thank you guys so much for the comments and likes. Also, I'm almost on my summer break! :) That means I can update and write more. I only need to do one more school presentation and then I'm done until August. By the way, how terrifying do you think it is to speak about Spanish class in the language in front of my teacher for three to four minutes without looking at a script? It's pretty terrifying since English is my first language.**

**Anyway, I'm going to stop talking about my school life. On with the story...**

* * *

As soon as the phone line went dead, Reid immediately alerted Rossi of the situation with JJ. Rossi, Reid, and Alex would all be going to the house to talk to JJ and see what happened. The other members of the team would be staying back at the BAU to continue Hotch's 'death' investigation. Reid was becoming really concerned about his wife. What exactly had caused her to go deaf? Or was the killer just messing around with them?

Reid was being severely affected by Hotch's death. He was a great leader who kept his team in order and would take a bullet for them. But now, he was gone and the team wasn't the same without him. Emily was turning to food to comfort herself and to keep her mood normal. Losing her husband was putting stress on her, considering that she was having to look after two young children who deserved to have two parents.

* * *

At the end of the workday, Emily picked up Jack and Cynthia from Kate's house. Joyner and Jessica weren't going on their honeymoon until Hotch's killer was found. Emily took her two children and drove home. When she was at home, she looked at her and Hotch's wedding photos. Her life had been picture-perfect until someone came in and destroyed it all. She had just put her children down for the night when she saw a figure sitting on the couch.

"Who are you?" Emily asked.

"Your husband's killer," Will answered, standing up and pointing the gun at her. "Now it's time to end you as well."

"Will LaMontagne? You've been the killer the whole time?"

"Yes. But now, my identity will be exposed in no time once JJ tells the team that I was the one who made her deaf. I have to make an important phone call to someone important. There will be an exchange. You and your children's life for his."

"Who's he?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that. You'll just have to wait and see. Anyway, it's time for me to make this call."

Will pulled out her phone and dialed Hotch. Will managed to figure out that the Unit Chief was still alive after he had been seen walking out of the hospital.

"Hello?" said Hotch, his voice not loud enough for Emily to hear him.

"Hello, it's so nice to talk to you again," Will taunted. "I have the beautiful Emily Hotchner right in front of me being held at gunpoint."

"What? Let her go!" Hotch cried out, worried for the safety of his wife.

"That's what I had in mind. But she'll survive only if you cooperate with me. I know that you're in New York, so it will take you some time to either rent a car and drive over here or catch the next flight to Quantico. But, you have exactly three hours from the moment I hang up this phone to get back to Quantico or Emily dies."

The line went dead and Will knew that Emily would be totally shocked to learn that the husband she thought was dead was actually alive.

Then Emily looked down at her waist and suddenly heard a ticking sound. She saw that a bomb had been strapped to her.

"You have exactly three hours left to live," Will said. "Then the bomb goes off and you die."

Emily shuddered at the thought of leaving her children as orphans.

I can't die, Emily thought. They just lost their father. They don't deserve to lose their mother as well.

Emily began thinking about how she was going to get out of here and let the team know that Will was really behind everything, including Hotch's death. After he 'died' and the bullets were taken out, they were handed over to the Trace CSI and run through the database. The bullets were a match to Will's gun.

* * *

Earlier in the day, JJ was praying that someone would come and rescue her. When she heard her husband come in through the front door, she felt relieved. But she knew that Will was still going after the team. Before he left, he told her that he was going after Emily that night.

"Jen!" Reid cried out, seeing the sight of his wife. He immediately undid the bindings and helped her off the bed. Her balance was slightly wobbly.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"Not really," she said. "I'm deaf in my left ear."

"What did he do to you?"

"He took out one of the bones in the inner ear. And now I've got balance problems and no hearing in the left ear," JJ replied.

"Do you know who the killer was? I mean, do you know who broke into our house?"

"I can't say anything. He said that I told the team who he was, then he was going to kill you and Henry."

"Please, sweetheart," Reid begged his wife. "Please tell me who this monster was. I will personally end his life myself."

"I can't," JJ said. "I'm trying to protect you and our son."

She kissed him softly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

JJ was taken to a hospital and had her ear examined to make sure there was no internal bleeding or serious damage. Luckily, there had only been a little bit of bleeding, which the doctors were able to remove. But her hearing was gone permanently in her left ear. Will had removed one of the essential bones near the eardrum, so if any one of the bones were removed, then the hearing would be damaged.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Reid," the doctor said to her after her ear was bandaged up. "But you will never be able to hear out of your left ear again."

JJ broke down crying. She wanted her ex-husband dead and now he was gone, but not for long. She was going to have to do something to hopefully save Emily's life.

* * *

Meanwhile, Emily was trying hard not to panic. She didn't want Will to adjust the time and have her die without saying goodbye to Jack or Cynthia. Emily knew she had two hours and forty-five minutes left to live. And she wanted to spend it wisely. How she wished Hotch was still alive to rescue her from this place. She missed him so much it hurt. She loved him more than her own life and would kill to spend just one more minute with him. She had seen his lifeless body back at the hospital. She had cried for hours after she had to leave to go back to the BAU and investigate who killed him. She wanted answers.

* * *

Two hours away, Hotch was in the rental car Dave had ordered for him once he had landed in New York. The gas tank was full, so the car would be able to go for a while before he would have to refill again.

Hotch was incredibly concerned for his wife and children's safety. He was now exposing his secret of being 'dead' for the second time, and now his wife could die because of him. He hoped that Emily didn't know he was alive. He needed to protect her as long as he could until the team came to the house with backup.

He was going to get his wife back and destroy Will once and for all.


	66. Choose One To Live

Kevin Lynch nervously looked down at his tablet. Will had blackmailed him into being his accomplice or Kevin was going to be responsible for his mother and brother's deaths. Kevin knew what this man was capable of and didn't want to have any more innocent people die. Lynch was in his office alone when he got a phone call from Will.

"Mr. Lynch, you have exactly two hours and forty minutes to get me three thousand dollars cash. That will be enough for me to get a plane ticket and escape the country. Also, I have another mission for you to complete. I want you to bring Andi Swann to me. Then, the value of money I want will be tripled with the ransom," Will said. "You will bring the team's ransom money and then you and I will be escaping to the Czech Republic."

"I won't do anything you ask me to do anymore! No! I won't let you kidnap another FBI agent."

"Mr. Lynch, do you not remember my warning? Your mother and brother will die a horrible death if you don't listen and obey me. Do what I say or they both die. And it will all be your fault because you didn't listen to me."

The line clicked and Kevin immediately began to panic. Two hours and forty minutes. Why was that time so exact? He wondered what he was going to do to please Will.

A text came through about a minute later.

-Lynch, there's a bag in your car with a white cloth. It's soaked in chloroform. That's the easiest way to bring Swann to me.-

Kevin headed out of his office, where he was stopped by Strauss. He noticed that she had a very small bump starting to show.

"Mr. Lynch, where are you going at this time of the day?" she asked.

"Lunch break," he answered quickly, trying not to arouse suspicion. "It's 12:30, so I thought it would be ok."

"That's fine. I'll see you back here in an hour. Also, we got the results of the bullets that killed Agent Hotchner. They belonged to Will LaMontagne. We're not exactly sure where he is right now."

"That's terrible," Kevin replied. "I will get working on it very soon."

He quickly headed downstairs to the first floor and signed himself out, noticing that Andi had just stepped off the elevator. He knew that it would probably be now or never to complete his mission. He knew that he would probably go to prison for what he was about to do, but maybe he would be able to cut a deal with the District Attorney because of the blackmail and extortion. Kevin quickly headed out to his car and found the bag on the passenger seat, just like Will had told him it would be. Lynch pulled on a pair of gloves and held the cloth in his hand, prepared to sneak up behind Andi and silence her with the cloth.

He saw Swann leaving the BAU and heading out to her car. She didn't seem to be aware that someone was following her. But she did have her car keys in her hand, something that she remembered her mother telling her to have whenever she was alone, especially at night. Kevin quickly snuck up behind her and shoved the cloth over her mouth and nose. Andi immediately began to fight back, trying to stab her attacker with her keys, but Kevin grabbed ahold of her wrist and held onto her tightly, causing her to drop the keys.

"I'm sorry, but I have to do this," he said, pressing the cloth harder. Andi went unconscious in his arms as he dragged her over to his car. He would never forgive himself for what he was doing.

* * *

Will was pacing around the Hotchner around, waiting for Lynch to call and say he had been successful and for Hotchner to make the trade.

LaMontagne had become an unsub shortly after he had broken up with Elle. He had something in his head saying that she had cheated on him when in reality, he was the cheater. But when he met JJ, he knew she was the one for him. However, he managed to sneak away on their honeymoon and cheat on her. His new mistress was still keeping in contact with him. He was a killer because he wanted to show the world how wrong cheating was and how it affected someone's life. He was planning on killing Hotch for his complicated one-sided romance with Beth.

But he still enjoyed killing people. And he wasn't going to stop until he reached 50 people. Emily was next on his list along with her children. Then he was going to start going after the rest of the team. He didn't care whose lives were ended as long as his kill list kept going up until his maximum number was reached.

* * *

Hotch had set a timer on his watch to keep track of the time he had left to save Emily and his children. He was just crossing into the Virginia border and was going to be back at his house in an hour. He still had an hour-and-a-half left to go before the bomb went off. But he wasn't going to let that happen. He was going to get Emily back and end Will's life.

* * *

In the house, Will was still pacing, but he was getting more and more excited. The bomb's timer was ticking down and he had just received a text from Lynch saying that Swann's abduction had been successful. Lynch had arrived at the Hotchner household and led the restrained Andi up the front porch steps.

"I'm really sorry about this, Andi," Kevin said. "But I'm being blackmailed and extorted. He threatened to kill my family if I didn't kidnap you."

Kevin led her up to the door and knocked on it.

"Mr. Lynch, excellent job. See, I knew you'd be resourceful and listen to me. I'll call you when I have my next mission ready. Actually, never mind. My next mission is ready. I want you to call the BAU and tell them everything written on this piece of paper."

Will handed Lynch a piece of lined paper with a few typed sentences on it. Kevin took Emily's phone and dialed Rossi.

"Emily? Are you ok?" he asked. "We're getting a little worried since you haven't shown up yet."

"Rossi?" Kevin replied.

"Lynch? What are you doing with Emily's phone?"

"You can only save one of them."  
"What are you talking about?"

"Choose one to live and only one."

Kevin held the phone away from his ear and said to someone, "Speak to them."

"Rossi…" Emily's voice cracked.

"Agent Rossi, save her instead of me," came Swann's response.

"Agents Prentiss and Swann are being held captive by Will LaMontagne and I. You have approximately an hour-and-a-half until Emily is blown to bits by a bomb and if you choose to save Andi Swann instead, then you will pay me 10 grand. Your choice, Rossi. If you don't choose, then they will both die and I will reveal your dark hidden secret to the rest of the team. Do you think that they would appreciate the fact that you kept something hidden from them about their Unit Chief?"

"You wouldn't!" Rossi snapped. "I'll do it! I'll choose one. Can I at least discuss the matter with my team?"

"Sure. You have three minutes to make your choice."

* * *

Rossi set the phone down on his desk and then turned to the remaining team members. They discussed for two minutes about what they were going to do to save both agents. Rossi had put the call on mute so that Lynch couldn't hear what they were saying.

Once the team had a final decision made, Rossi was about to turn the call off of speaker when Garcia came into the room.

"Sir," she said. "The bullets that killed Boss Man have just arrived back here. I got the results. Hotch was killed by Will LaMontagne."

"I'm going to kill him," Reid replied. "He threatened JJ and Henry."

Rossi nodded that he understood what she said and then turned the speaker button off.

"You made a decision?" Lynch asked impatiently.

"Yes. We decided that we want Emily back."

"Alright then. You get her and her children back. I forgot to mention that it was a packaged deal. Anyway, I'll drop them off at the BAU. Don't even think about following me back to the secret location. And your secret won't be told."

* * *

After Kevin ended the call, he walked over to Will.

"The BAU decided that they want Agent Prentiss back," Lynch said.

"Very well then," came Will's response.

He walked over to Emily and cut the detonator wire. The bomb shut off and Emily was starting to shudder. Was the bomb really detonated?

"It's not going to explode in your face or anything," Will said. "You and your children are going to be released."

Kevin walked upstairs and came back down with Jack and a sleeping Cynthia. Emily had her hands restrained behind her and she had been forced to sit in a chair. Will cut the zip-ties and allowed her to stand, but he pointed a gun at her chest.

"If you do anything stupid, I won't hesitate to shoot you or Swann," Will said. "Get going before I change my mind."

Emily grabbed ahold of her children and followed Kevin out to her car, where she was forced to sit in the passenger seat and her children were put into the backseat. As Emily got into her car, she noticed that Kevin was trying to give a sympathetic look. Was he actually trying to apologize for his actions or was there more behind that look?


	67. Erin Finds Out

**AN: It turns out my story won't be ending soon. I have enough ideas that I can make it to Chapter 85. That will be the epilogue chapter. Don't worry, there will be a happy ending for our friends at the BAU.**

**Special thanks to HOTCHFANTIC, Jenny Crum, and Kimd33 for your reviews and also to everyone else who has liked this story. Thanks again! :)**

* * *

Once everyone was in the car, Kevin set the gun down in the glove compartment and turned to Emily once they were at a red light.

"Don't worry, that isn't a loaded gun," Kevin said. "Emily, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I had to do this to you. But Will blackmailed and extorted me into working for him. He threatened to kill my mom and brother if I didn't do what he said. He made me kidnap Andi. I'm never going to forgive myself for that. I don't know if Andi will be able to as well."

"He extorted you?" Emily asked. "I'm going to kill him myself. He killed the love of my life. He murdered my husband in cold blood."

"I don't blame you," Kevin said. "I'd do the same thing if I were in your shoes. I''m hoping that Will doesn't harm Andi. I'll never forgive myself if she does."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to ask her out on a date. I really like her. But she'll probably never forgive me for what I've done."

"Kevin, I'm sure she'll understand because of the circumstances you were in," Emily reassured him.

Not long after, Kevin pulled into the parking lot and handed Emily her credentials. She grabbed Jack and Cynthia and the small bag that had formula for bottles and extra things inside.

"I'm so sorry, Emily. If I have to do other things, it's because Will ordered me to. I want him dead as much as you do."

She said goodbye to him and then lead her children into the BAU. The team immediately embraced her and JJ held Cynthia, admiring how cute she was.

"What happened?" Rossi asked. "What did he do to you?"

"He...I mean Will, he strapped a bomb to me and called someone on the phone. I don't know who it was, but apparently, there was going to be some sort of trade. My children and I's lives for his. The problem is, I don't know who this 'he' was," Emily said. "And Kevin has joined as the newest partner."

"Kevin?" JJ exclaimed. "What are you talking about?"

"Kevin told me that he had been extorted into working for Will. Will told him that if he didn't work for him, then his mother and brother would be dead."

"And also, no one's seen Andi Swann for a while. She was supposed to have gone on her lunch break, but no one has seen her back here. Have you seen Swann?" Morgan asked.

"Yes," Emily replied. "Kevin was forced to kidnap her. He's never going to forgive himself for what he's done. But if he was to confess what he's done, do you think he'd go to prison?"

"I'm not exactly sure about that," Rossi said. "I think that's entirely up to the DA."

* * *

A half hour later, Hotch had made it back to his house. There was no bomb squad or any law enforcement on the street. Where was the bomb squad? And where was his team? Shouldn't they be taking down Will and making sure that he would never see the light of day again?

Hotch nervously pulled out one of his old Glocks and slowly made his way up the front porch stairs and entered his house. The place looked like no one had been here all day. He checked every room in his house but found no one. He did find a piece of paper on the dining room table however. Pulling on gloves, he picked up the note. It said:

-HELLO AGENT HOTCHNER. I ASSUMED THAT YOU WOULD COME BACK HERE TO MAKE AN EXCHANGE. BUT YOUR WIFE IS SAFE BACK AT THE BAU, ALONG WITH YOUR CHILDREN. UNFORTUNATELY, MS. ANDI SWANN ISN'T LOOKING SO GREAT. NOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, HOTCH? YOU GOING TO REVEAL TO YOUR TEAM THAT YOU'VE BEEN ALIVE ALL THIS TIME?-

Hotch began to panic. He didn't know exactly what he was going to do. He didn't know if he should reveal himself to the team or not. Would they ever trust him again?

* * *

Meg Callahan was walking home from school the next day when she suddenly got an odd feeling in her stomach. She crossed the street and began walking in the opposite direction of traffic, just like Kate had taught her to do. Meg knew that it was safer to walk home this way. She would have been walking home with her best friend Markayla Davis, but unfortunately, Markayla was having to volunteer to earn Community Service Hours for her college transcripts.

Meg was only three blocks away from her house when the feeling in her stomach began to get even stronger. She reached into her backpack and pulled out her cell phone and house key. She turned her phone on and made sure the first person she would call would be Kate or Chris.

The thirteen-year-old heard a car slowing down behind her and she knew she needed to call her uncle.

"Meg?" came Chris's voice. "What's up?"

"I think someone's following me," she said. "I have my key in my hand and I'm walking on the other side of the road against traffic."

"Good thinking. Now, slowly turn around and see if you can tell me anything about the vehicle or driver."

Meg obeyed, then looked at the vehicle and couldn't really see the driver.

"Alright, the vehicle looks like it's a Hyundai. It's a dark navy blue, but I can't really see the driver. I think it's a man, but I can't tell."

"Where are you?"

"I'm actually on Markayla's street. I'm walking in front of her neighbor's-AHHH! CHRIS, HELP-" Meg began, but was suddenly grabbed from behind. A hand clamped over her mouth as she tried to call for help.

"Meg! MEG?" Chris said.

"Don't even look for her because you'll never find her," the voice replied before hanging up. What the kidnapper didn't even know was that Markayla's mom had heard the scream and was watching the scene. She saw the perpetrator and part of the license plate.

Mrs. Davis held her cell phone in her hand and looked for the BAU's number that Kate had given to her. She saw that Meg was unconscious and restrained in the back of the car. The driver got into back into the vehicle and drove off east.

Markayla's mother immediately dialed the BAU.

"Behavioral Analysis Unit, this is Agent Rossi," he said.

"This is Mrs. Davis, Markayla's mother. I'm best friends with Kate Callahan," she replied.

"Oh, yes, Kate's told me about you. What can we do for you?"

"Meg was abducted. Can I come down and talk to you about it?"

"Alright, that's fine. I'll call Kate and have her come down as well since she doesn't work here anymore."

Mrs. Davis heard the line click and she immediately locked up her house and bolted for her car.

* * *

Callahan had been working at her new job which was teaching fourth-graders. She heard her phone ring in the middle of class and one of the students answered the phone.

"Mrs. Callahan's class, student speaking," the boy, Bernardo, said.

"Yes, could I please speak to your teacher please? It's important," came the voice.

"Ok." The boy turned to his teacher. "There's someone that needs to talk to you."

Kate wheeled herself over to the phone on her desk. "Hello?"

"Kate, it's Rossi," Dave said.

"Rossi?" she asked. "What's going on?"

"You need to come down here right now. Meg's been abducted by the man who killed Hotch."

"Oh my gosh, I'll be down there right now. Let me call my boss," Kate said. The two ended the call and Callahan turned to her students.

"I have an emergency with my niece. You guys are going to have a substitute teacher until I get back. But unfortunately that could be a week or two."

Callahan called her boss and told him that she needed to go speak with the FBI about her niece and that there was a very serious emergency. She called Chris, who came and picked her up and drove her to the BAU.

* * *

After the two Callahans arrived, Rossi told Kate to come with him. He offered her a position as a consultant for the case, which she agreed to do.

"Also, Kate, there's something that Mrs. Davis told us. From the description of the kidnapper, it appears as though the perp is Will LaMontagne, the same man who shot and killed Hotch," Rossi said.

"That sick freak has my niece? I'll kill him myself."

"We all do."

* * *

Will dropped Meg off at the Hotchner household, where Kevin took care of her. He told her after Will left that he was sorry that he was involved in the whole plot.

LaMontagne drove off to the Quantico Penitentiary to visit Beth. She was currently serving her six-year sentence, but Will had something to offer her.

"Hello, Sir," Beth said, sitting down at the cafeteria lunch tables.

"Hello, Beth, my name is Will LaMontagne. I'm the man who murdered Max Ryan. Don't freak out, I have an offer for you."

"Is there a catch?"

"No. I'm offering you to be my newest accomplice. I saw the work you did and I have to say, I'm very impressed. You would be an excellent asset for my team. I already have Kevin Lynch on my side and right now I have 13-year-old Meg Callahan currently in the basement of the Hotchner household. If you work for me, I'll promise you a great life over in the Czech Republic once this is all over."

"I'm listening...what do you want me to do?" Beth asked.

"I want you to do what I say," Will replied. "I promise you that life will be much better over in the Czech Republic rather than in a prison. Are you in?"

"I'm in," Beth said. "I want out of this place and want to be out in the world again. Maybe this will be the lucky chance that I actually get to have the man of my dreams."

"Yea...about that. He supposedly died, but he's actually alive. He's back in Quantico."

"Even better. This time I'm really going to get him!"

Will told Beth about a secret entrance hidden near the back of the prison that only a few people knew about. She snuck outside to the spot and managed to get away without being spotted by the guards.

She felt free once again.

* * *

After work that evening, Rossi arrived home to find Hotch sitting on the front porch. Erin was going to be staying over with JJ, Reid, and Henry.

"Hotch, what are you doing here?" Rossi asked. "I thought you were at the safehouse!"

"Will called. He told me that he would make an exchange. My life for Emily's and our children. But when I got home, there was no one."

"That's because Will took Andi Swann with him. Emily's back at the BAU safe and sound. Jack and Cynthia are with Morgan and Garcia."

"I want to see my wife!" Hotch demanded. "I want to see Emily!"

"Hotch, you can't! Will abducted Meg Callahan earlier today and he made Kevin Lynch kidnap Andi Swann. There's no telling what Will's next move is. You could be the next target. He knows you're alive. And he won't hesitate to kill you."

However, Erin had just pulled up in the driveway after learning that JJ wasn't feeling that well, so Reid was going to be looking after her.

Erin got out of her car and saw Rossi talking to someone.

"David, who are you talking-Agent Hotchner?" Strauss asked, completely shocked. "But...but you're supposed to be dead."

She turned to her husband. "David, what's going on?"


	68. Marriage troubles and happy reunions

**AN: YAY. I am done with school for the summer. I will be able to update regularly now :).**

**Anyway, here's the next chapter for you guys, enjoy...**

* * *

Rossi's face paled to the point where he looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"David Rossi, what is Agent Hotchner doing here? He's supposed to be dead, so how is he alive? Is there something you want to tell me?" Erin asked, her voice starting to show signs of anger.

"I...I couldn't-"

"You couldn't what, David? You've known the entire time that he's been alive and you never bothered to tell me?"

"I had to keep his 'death' a secret, Erin. Will is alive and he's not going to stop until Hotch is eliminated."

"You've been lying to me," Strauss said, her throat closing up. Her husband had lied to her. "You've been lying to me this whole time for the past week or more! How could you?!"

"I-I was trying to protect the team," Rossi replied.

"Protecting us? Do you even realize what you've done?! You left a woman grieving and as a single parent! You lied to everyone on the team, including me! You're lucky you're still my husband right now otherwise you would have been fired."

Erin walked up to her husband and gave him a kiss.

"That's my way of saying goodbye," she said. "I don't want to see you for a while. We'll share custody right now of Alyse. You told me about that position at the CIA, correct? Well, since I'm still Section Chief and I tell the others what to do, you're going to take it. I want you to work there until we settle this."

"Erin, please-"

"We're not going a divorce, David. I just need to take some time to revalute our situation. I'll be staying with Emily tonight and however long I need time away from you."

Erin turned away and got into her car. She started the vehicle up and headed down the street.

Dave saw his wife's car vanish into the night and once the vehicle disappeared, he broke down crying. Hotch pulled his friend into a hug as the two of them stepped inside the house. Dave thought about how everything had been so great yesterday, but now, everything was broken.

Last night, Dave had arrived home from work to find that the house was quiet. Erin was sitting on the couch in her bathrobe.

"Hello," he said.

"Hello Handsome," she replied. She got off the couch and walked over to him. "Alyse is out like a light; the house is ours until she wakes up."

The couple had a lovely dinner, but all Rossi could think about was the fact that he had been lying to Erin about Hotch. She was going to kill him once she found out.

Even after she dropped her robe to her floor, Rossi seemed a little distracted.

"Are you alright?" she asked, walking over to the couch and sitting next to him.

"Yea, just thinking about Hotch," he replied.

* * *

Hotch looked over at his best friend, still crying over Erin leaving him. Rossi wondered if his wife was lying about not getting a divorce.

"Do you think she will, Hotch?" Rossi asked. "I can't bear to think of her going out of my life forever. I love her too much, Hotch. She's been the one marriage I'm actually happy in. I mean, I will always love Carolyn, but Erin is my soul mate and I don't want to see her leave and have her take our unborn child away from me."

"Erin wouldn't divorce you, Dave. When I saw her yelling at you, I could still see the love for you in her eyes. She loves you too much to even think about divorcing you."

He hoped Hotch was right. Rossi hoped things would be ok in the end. Because if it didn't, the entire BAU task force would go crazy and Hotch's team would be broken up. No one wanted a team breakup, especially when there was a killer on the loose with a blackmailed accomplice.

Rossi felt his phone ringing and saw that Reid was calling.

"Spencer?" Rossi asked.

"Rossi, I've got bad news. Apparently, Will was just at the prison several hours ago visiting Beth. She's gone, Rossi. She's out in the world again," Reid said. "That's all I was told to tell you."

"Thanks Reid."

After the call ended, Rossi turned to Hotch. "Apparently, Will was visiting your psycho-stalker 'girlfriend' Beth and now she's out of prison."

* * *

"Mr. Lynch," Will shouted in an unknown location the next morning. "Mr. Lynch?"

"Yes, Sir, sorry I didn't hear you," Kevin replied. "What can I do for you?"

"I need you to abduct another FBI agent for me so that if we do decide to do ransom, then we can get a ton more money. I want you to bring me FBI Tech Gina Sharp. Do it and I'll pay you 10 grand."

Kevin didn't care about the money-he only cared about stopping Will.

But Lynch stood frozen in place.

"Mr. Lynch, get going or I'm going to kill your family!" Will snapped. Kevin immediately headed out to his car to drive to the BAU and complete the mission.

* * *

Lynch arrived at the BAU ten minutes later to find Sharp heading out to the parking lot. Kevin didn't want to hurt his ex-girlfriend, but he was trying to protect other people.

"Hey Gina!" Kevin said. She turned around and smiled once she saw him. "I'm sorry, but I have to do this. Forgive me."

He took his gun and smacked Gina across the face, knocking her out cold. Kevin dragged Gina over to his car and restrained her with zip-ties. He didn't want to hurt her, but he was concerned about the safety of his family...and Andi. He loved her so much he would never forgive himself if he hurt her.

Kevin got back into his car and began back to the unknown location.

* * *

The next evening, Emily woke up from her afternoon nap feeling refreshed. The other side of the bed was cold, and Emily missed its warmth. Usually she would fall asleep and Hotch's arms would wrap around her in a protective position but loose enough that if she needed to get out of bed for any reason she could.

She was missing Hotch so much. It hadn't been that long since his death, but she missed him more than anything. She got off the couch and heard someone opening the door. She assumed it was Jessica or Joyner dropping off Jack and Cynthia. But then Emily remembered that both children were upstairs and sleeping for the night.

"Who's there?" she asked. "Identify yourself."

Emily reached for the gun in the drawer of the end table.

"Don't shoot!" said a voice. "Emily, it's me."

She thought she was hallucinating. She got off the couch and turned on the light. She discovered that Hotch was standing in the front entrance of their home.

"Aaron?" she asked. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, I'm alive and in the flesh."

Emily's eyes were filling up with tears. The husband she thought was dead was alive. She saw that he was holding out his arms to her. She immediately ran over to him and kissed him.

"You have no idea how much I missed you," Hotch said. "It hurt everyday that I wasn't here."

"I love you so much," she replied. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"I love you too."

They both didn't fall asleep until midnight because they couldn't stay away from each for too long. Emily had her husband and children, and that was the only thing she wanted right now.


	69. A separation,new job,and Andi's feelings

**AN: The two songs used in this chapter are Shania Twain's "Man! I feel like a woman!" and Nicki Minaj's "Truffle Butter."**

* * *

At seven AM, Emily was the first one awake. Her husband was out cold next to her, but she knew a way to wake him up.

She found her IPod in the bedside table drawer along with a speaker system/charging station. She took both items down to their large kitchen and set the items down on the counter as she got out the ingredients to make pancakes. She began putting the ingredients together in a bowl and turned on her IPod.

"I'm going out tonight, I'm feelin' alright. Gonna let it all hang out," Emily sang, finishing mixing the batter and carrying the jar over to the griddle. "Want to make some noise, really raise my voice. Yeah, I want to scream and shout-"

Emily turned around to see Hotch standing at the entrance to their kitchen.

"And that's one of the reasons why I married you," he said.

"Morning Aaron, come dance with me!" she replied. "And you married me for what?"

"I married you because I love your voice in the morning. It wakes me up. The number-one reason I married you is because I love you. But I love your voice because it's something unique to me."

"Why thank you Sweetie," Emily said, giving him a good-morning kiss. "Since our children are sleeping, why I don't I put on that song you love so much?"

"Oh, that Nicki Minaj one?" Hotch asked. He smiled, then turned to his wife. "I'll sing it to you."

"I'd like that," she replied. She found the song and skipped to near the end.

"Uh, thinkin' out loud. I could be broke and keep a million dollar smile. LOL to the bank checkin' my account. Bank teller flirtin' after checkin' my account. Pretty ladies, are you here? Truffle butter on your-" Hotch said, but then came an interruption.

"Daddy, what are you talking about?" came Jack's response, causing Emily to shut off the song before he could hear any more.

"Um, nothing important, son," Hotch replied. "I was singing to your mommy while she makes pancakes."

A half hour later, he got a call from Rossi.

"Dave, what's up?" Hotch asked.

"Gina Sharp went missing last night and based on the security camera feeds, it looks like the kidnapper is Kevin," Rossi replied. "How did it go with Emily?"

"She's so happy, Rossi. She was so worried and now she feels so secure with me around."

"Agent Hotchner, where do you keep your extra boxes of Kleenex?" came Erin's response from the bathroom.

"Is that Erin?" Rossi asked Hotch.

"It is," the Unit Chief answered. "I'll see if she wants to talk to you."

Hotch showed Erin where the boxes were, then asked her the question.

"Fine," she said, taking the phone. "What do you want, David? I'm kind of busy right now."

"Please, Erin, let me explain-" Dave replied.

"No, you listen to me. I don't want to hear your explanation. You lied to me and I have no idea how long it will take for me to forgive you for what you did."

"Erin-"

"NO! As of now, we are legally separated. Once you apologize to everyone on the team and to me, then we can work on getting back together."

She hung up angrily and handed the phone back to Hotch.

"Erin, is everything ok between you and Rossi?" Emily asked. She had heard the yelling from the dining room.

"No," Strauss replied. "He lied to me about Hotch's death. Rossi knew the entire time that he was alive and he never bothered to tell me. We are now separated."

"What about a divorce?"

"No. I hate him right now, but I still love him too much to get a divorce. This would be very bad for the team and I don't want to break anything up."

* * *

Rossi looked down at his phone in horror. He was now separated from the woman he loved. He needed to apologize to her so that they could repair their broken relationship. He wished he had told her the truth the minute he found out about Hotch's death. But now, Rossi was going to have live with the guilt for the rest of his life.

Rossi grabbed his necessary things and headed out the door and to his car. He wondered what the workday was going to be like today with Erin mad at him.

When he entered the bullpen, he found Reid and JJ looking at the board with Hotch's death investigation case information. Erin had just entered through the second elevator and when she saw her husband, her face turned red and she headed to her office, slamming the door behind her.

Morgan and Garcia heard the slam and walked over to their co-workers.

"Wonder what that's all about?" JJ asked. She turned away for a minute to the board and back to the elevator when she heard the doors open. She screamed, but the shock caused her to pass out.

"JJ, what's wrong?" Garcia questioned. The technical analyst's face paled at the sight of Emily walking next to a supposed-to-be-dead Aaron Hotchner.

"Boss-man?"

"It's me," Hotch said. "I'm alive."

"But how?" Reid asked. "The doctor came out and told Emily. She told us after he left."

"Because I was the only one who knew," Rossi joined in. "The doctor asked to speak to me privately and told me that Hotch was alive. I'm listed as an emergency contact. I kept Hotch's secret to myself and now Erin found out and is mad at me."

"You knew?!" Emily screeched. "You knew the entire time that my husband was alive and you never bothered to tell me? Do you have any idea what I've suffered? I would come home from work everyday and eat food until I felt sick and then I cried until I cried myself to sleep! I hate you right now, David Rossi."

"Speaking of which, I don't expect you to forgive me right now. I am resigning from the BAU to take a temporary position at the CIA for a few months. My BAU leave of absence is effective as of now."

Rossi handed his credentials and gun to Hotch, then walked to the elevator and out of the BAU building. After the now ex-SSA left, Erin came out of her office.

"I can't stay mad at him," she said. "I love him too much, but there's still a part of me that hates him. I was thinking about going to a therapy/counseling session after work today. Should I invite him?"

"You should," Garcia replied. "I would really hate to see this team break up, especially with Emily still on maternity leave and now with Rossi going to work for the CIA."

JJ was beginning to regain consciousness, completely shocked to see Hotch standing in front of her alive and well.

* * *

After Will made sure Swann, Sharp, and Meg were secured in the basement, he allowed Kevin to leave.

"I'll call you when I have my next assignment ready for you," Will replied. Kevin left immediately and headed off to the BAU. When he got there, the team wasn't really too happy to see him.

"I'm here because I want to come clean," Kevin said. "Take me down to the interrogation room and I'll tell you what that creep did."

Morgan and JJ lead Lynch down to an interrogation room and allowed him to sit down.

"Emily told us that you had been extorted into working for Will LaMontagne," JJ said.

"Yes. About a month ago, he called me and said that if I didn't do what he said, then he would kill my mother and brother. I agreed to do what Will said as long as my family didn't get hurt. I didn't hear anything from him until he told me to abduct Andi Swann. And then he told me to take Gina Sharp to him. All I know is that the place where they're being held is somewhere in Quantico. He told me he'd kill my family if I told anyone where the hostages are."

"Alright," Morgan said. "We'll see what the DA says. Maybe you won't go to prison and instead, you'll have to earn community service hours."

* * *

Andi looked around at her prison. She thought about Kevin and how he had kidnapped her. She knew he wouldn't do such a thing. But she wanted to get out so that she could tell him how she felt.

I'm in love with him, she thought. But he may never know.


	70. Rekindling begins,Swann escapes,an offer

That night after work, Erin called Rossi and asked if he wanted to go to a counseling meeting once he was done with his shift. He said that he would be at the address within a half hour. The meeting was successful and Erin and Rossi agreed to start working on repairing their marriage. When the two of them got back home, he noticed that his wife seemed to be less angry than she was that morning. Rossi pulled her into his arms and she didn't try to pull away. Then he slowly leaned in and kissed her.

"That was nice," she said. "Don't you ever lie to me like that ever again."

"I won't," he replied. "I can't lose you or our family."

"We're not back together yet since I'm still mad at you, but I'll call you when I get an answer back from my lawyer declaring that we are no longer legally separated."

* * *

In the morning, Kevin returned to the BAU to find the DA already waiting for him.

"Mr. Lynch, may I speak to you alone for a minute?" the DA asked. The technical analyst nodded his head and followed the District Attorney into a conference room.

"Mr. Lynch," he said. "SSA Morgan has presented your case to me and I have reviewed it. Since you were being extorted, the only thing you'll have to do is 20 hours of community service. No prison time will need to be served."

The DA stood up and left the room, leaving Kevin very relieved. He wasn't going to prison and he wasn't going to lose his job.

* * *

In the unknown location, Will was keeping an eye on his three hostages. Meg was looking the most scared.

"What do you want with us?!" Swann snapped. "Why are we here?"

But Will didn't answer. He just slammed the door shut and left.

The three hostages looked around at their prison. There didn't seem to be any way to get out. However, Andi managed to cut her zip-ties and climb out the window and escape. She felt sorry for leaving the other two hostages behind, but Andi figured that she could get help and lead the BAU to the location.

She managed to get to a grocery store, where several people recognized her picture from the news. She felt relieved when she saw the BAU vehicles pull up in the parking lot ten minutes later. Kevin entered the store third and when Andi saw him, she began to freak out.

"Andi, please," he said. He then kissed her softly. "I love you and I'm never going to forgive myself for what's happened."

Swann kissed him back, then allowed the paramedics to strap her to a gurney and take her to the local hospital.

* * *

After work that evening, JJ headed to her doctor's office for an ear check up. After Will had damaged her hearing, she was required to get a check up every few days to make sure nothing serious had developed from her injury.

"Mrs. Reid," the doctor said. "The hospital has just developed a new way that may be able to fix up your ear. Since we still have the bone that was removed, the option is to have surgery and re-attach the bone back where it belongs. This will be the first time we have ever tested this on a person. How about you think about this for a few days and give me a call back?"

"Ok," JJ replied. "I'll talk to my husband and see what he thinks."

She finished up with her doctor and headed out to the parking lot. When she got home, she found Reid standing by the front door with Henry in his arms.

"Someone's been wanting his momma," Spencer said, giving JJ a kiss. "Did your doctor's appointment go well?"

"Yes, it did," she replied. "I wanted to talk to you about it."

The couple sat down on the couch and JJ turned to her husband.

"The doctor offered me a procedure involving the removed bone. I would be the first person to have this procedure done. They're going to do surgery on my ear and try and put the removed bone back where it belongs. I wanted to see what you thought about it. Do you think I should agree to it?"

"It's up to you, Jennifer. I think you should do it, but it really is your decision. If this could bring your hearing back in both ears, that would be great. And also, I was wanting to talk to you about this tonight when you got home."

"What's on that big mind of yours?" she asked. "You're cute when you sputter off facts."

"I wanted to know if you want to have any more children."

The statement hit JJ a little hard. She and Reid hadn't even discussed the idea of adding to their family after Henry was born.

"Um…" she said. "I haven't really given it any thought."

"You don't have to say yes or no tonight. I just wanted to share my thoughts and let you think about it."

"I'll definitely consider it. But if we want to, then I don't want to have this happen until after the surgery-if I decide to take it. So, let's discuss more about this in a week, ok?"

"Ok," he answered. "I'll remain patient."

* * *

In the unknown location, Will was furious. Andi had called the BAU and soon enough, agents swarmed the place. But he managed to change locations before the FBI arrived, so he had been able to hide both Gina and Meg in the back end of a storage unit. Now, his plan was starting to fall apart. He was using Sharp's credit card to buy food, water, gas, and other supplies.

Now, he called Beth into the room.

"Yes, Will?" she asked.

"Now that Kevin is no longer on the team, I want you to become my accomplice. I want you to do my work."

"Anything for you, Will, I'll do it. I'm excited; what do you want me to do?"

"Well, we're going to lay low for a while. Since it's the beginning of June, little Meg here won't be missing too much of her seventh-grade year. I'm sure she'll do just fine spending the summer here. But there is another SSA I will need you to bring after our 'laying-low' period is over. The SSA is Tia Canning and I want you to bring her here so that she can replace Andi Swann."


	71. Agreement, another offer, and first date

Kate was at the BAU investigating Meg's abduction when the phone rang. Callahan raced to answer it.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Callahan, hello. It's Doctor Rodriguez," the voice said.

"Hello Doctor Rodriguez, what can I do for you today?"

"I was calling to ask you if you'd be willing to have a procedure done that will hopefully allow you to regain full mobility?"

"What kind of procedure?"

"It's where we would take out one of your olfactory bulbs in your nose and grow cells that we can use to repair your spinal cord. This has been done before and is successful."

"I...I'll have to think about it. I can discuss this matter with my husband and see what he says. But I'm leaning towards it. I would do anything to get my mobility back."

"Alright, call us back when you've thought it over."

Kate said goodbye, then began to think about what her doctor had just told her. A chance to walk again. She wouldn't turn it down for a second. What if there were complications and she was damaged even further?

* * *

After work that day, JJ called her doctor back.

"Mrs. Reid?" the doctor asked. "What can I do for you today?"

"I was calling to let you know that I will agree to the surgery," JJ said. "I would like to have it done."

"Alright, what would be the best day for you to come in?"

"I can come in on Saturday; my boss gave me that day off. I can come in around eleven."

"Alright, we'll put you down for that. See you Saturday."

JJ ended the call and smiled in relief. She was going to be able to have hearing in her left ear again. And that meant she'd have more time to think about expanding her family with Reid. He sounded so happy when he brought the topic up. Was he actually serious about wanting to have another baby? She hadn't been thinking about the topic too much. She was just focused on trying to find Will and destroy him. She wanted to put a bullet in his head for everything he had done to her and to her family.

"JJ, is everything ok?" Reid asked. He heard her on the phone, but since he had been upstairs, he couldn't understand what she had been saying.

"Yea, everything's fine," she replied. "I just called the doctor back to say that I'm going to do the surgery."

* * *

At the house, Will was sitting on the couch, just enjoying the time he had to himself. He knew that the BAU probably figured out that he was able to get Beth out of prison. His plan was coming together nicely. He needed to go out and get an important object for the next part of his mission. But after he got the object, he would wait awhile before he'd use it.

"Beth, my love," said Will. "Can you watch Gina and Meg while I go out and get the compound?"

"Yes, Will, I can do that," the brunette replied, giving him a kiss. "I will always love you."

She was the mistress he had keep in contact with over the years. She was loyal to him and only him. She grabbed a chair and entered the room where Gina and Meg were currently tied up in.

"You two better not move or say a word," Beth threatened, pulling out a gun and pointing it at them. "If you two disobey what I say, I will shoot you and I'll tell Will what you've done. I have no idea what he'll do to you, but you're not going to like it."

Gina and Meg were silent the entire time while Will was gone. He came back fifteen minutes later with a large container in his hand.

"I got the compound, baby," Will said, walking up to his girlfriend. "In a few months, they won't even know who they are anymore. I'll make sure of it."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to keep an eye on the hostages and make sure they don't escape."

"Yes, Sir, right away. I'll do whatever you say."

"Excellent. Then get going. We have a team to form. We start when I tell you we begin."

Beth was looking forward to what the future held. She couldn't wait for Will to succeed and bring down the BAU.

* * *

Rossi hated having to get out of bed in the morning and not go to the BAU. He had been working with the CIA, and he wanted to leave the place. Erin was still mad at him, so his new boss asked him to work for an extra month or two. Rossi missed working under Hotch's command and all of his former co-workers.

The CIA was working on the same case as the BAU-finding Will LaMontagne and putting a bullet in his head.

* * *

The next day at work, Kevin walked up to Andi as she was leaving to go on her lunch break.

"Andi…" he said. "Would you like to go on a date with me?"

Swann looked a little surprised, but then smiled.

"I would love to," she replied. She walked up to him and gave him a kiss. "I'm looking forward to it."

Kevin kissed her back, then told her that he would make the reservation for six o'clock. The day went by quickly, and Andi looked at her watch as she uploaded some files onto the computer. She realized that she had an hour to get home and get ready for her date. She began to panic, which her boss picked up on.

"Ms. Swann, is there somewhere you need to be?" he asked.

"Yes, actually, I'm supposed to meet someone for dinner," she said. "And I'm off at five, aren't I?"

"You are. I'm sorry. You can go. I'll see you tomorrow."

Andi said goodbye, then headed out to the parking lot and drove straight home. She was able to find a long green dress and black high-heels. Kevin arrived at 5:45 to pick her up and take her to the restaurant. Once at the place, Kevin and Andi talked about the case, how they were doing, and how delicious the food was. Andi really enjoyed her first date with Lynch.

Once the dinner was over, Kevin drove her home and kissed her goodbye.

"I love you, Andi, I mean it," he said.

"I love you too," she replied. "Hopefully we can do this again soon."

"I promise."

They kissed again, then Kevin walked down the front porch and over to his car. He waved goodbye, then drove off into the night.

Andi unlocked her front door and stepped inside the house. It felt good to be home before she had to go back to work tomorrow.

Her phone suddenly buzzed. She thought it was Kevin, but it was Will.

-Agent Swann, don't do anything stupid or Gina and Meg will die.-


	72. Three Months Later

Callahan was feeling exhausted. It had been weeks since Meg's abduction, and there was absolutely no sign of her, Gina, or the unsubs. Kate was crying, wishing that she could have her niece back home safe. But Callahan was afraid that Meg might already be dead and her body was lying in a ditch somewhere.

Until the phone rang one day. Kate had quickly wheeled across the room to grab the phone first.

"Agent Callahan?" a voice asked.

"Yes?" she replied.

"We think we've found your niece."

"You found my Meg? Where?"

"I'll send you the address. Send your team over here. We're going to get the man responsible for her abduction."

Kate looked at her phone a minute later and the text contained an address for a house in Quantico.

"Hotch! I just got a text from Rossi saying that the CIA has a possible location on Meg!" Kate said. Hotch walked over to her and looked at the address. He alerted Strauss of the situation, who immediately called for a SWAT team. Hotch and the others quickly headed out to the parking lot, thinking that they'd finally get to destroy Will once and for all.

* * *

At the house, Will and Beth were already packing up their things into the car and locking Sharp into the trunk. Meg was left behind in the bedroom for the BAU to rescue, but it would later be a trap.

Beth heard the sirens, so she and Will quickly got into the car and drove away before the BAU could arrest them. Rossi and his team of CIA agents groaned in frustration that the unsubs had gotten away once again and probably wouldn't be found for a while.

Hotch and Emily kicked the front door down and pointed their guns straight in front of them. A month ago, she had returned to the BAU from her maternity leave and Joyner retired to take care of her wife and Matthew.

Emily called out, "Meg, are you in here?"

"Help!" came the response from a room upstairs. Morgan and JJ headed upstairs and found Meg tied to a chair, looking extremely tired and weak.

"I got her!" JJ shouted, untying the girl. Rossi was outside discussing with his new teammates on what they were going to do to capture Will and make sure he didn't get away this time. The CIA and BAU had some serious work to do if they wanted their lives to return to normal. Rossi was missing his former co-workers very much, but at least he and Erin had worked out their marriage and were officially back together. She had forgiven him completely for lying to her and now they were focusing on work and preparing for when Erin would give birth to their second child. Her five-month ultrasound was coming up in a week and they were looking forward to finding out the gender of their little one. He wasn't about to let Will or Beth come near his family and hurt them. Rossi would murder one or both of the unsubs if they were even two blocks away from his family. He still had to work at the CIA for a couple more months, which he felt like would take forever to finish.

* * *

About twenty minutes away from the previous house, Will and Beth were on the road heading out of Quantico. They were heading to another city-Dumfries, Virginia-that was close to Quantico. This was because Will needed to be close to the BAU and stalk the team and abduct his latest victim. The compound was still in the backseat of the car because Will still hadn't had a chance to use it on Meg. And now that she had been rescued, he was going to have to go after her again in order to use the compound.

"We're here," Will said to Beth. "We're at a foreclosed house that Lewis used to own. The team isn't going to find Gina alive."

"I can't wait to see what you've got planned, baby," Beth replied. "I hope it's something good."

"Oh it is. We need to get Meg back so that my plan can continue. We also need to get Tia Canning."

"Why do we need another FBI agent?"

"Because it's gonna make them work harder to find us. Working hard-I believe-will eventually cause them to give up and stop looking for us. And then, they will never find Gina or the other people we will take."

* * *

Seaver was at the movies with Gideon. They had decided on watching on San Andreas, an earthquake disaster movie that described what would happen to California if a large quake struck the state and separated it into two pieces of land.

The movie was excellent in Seaver and Gideon's minds. But he was thinking about something else in his head other than the movie.

He loved Seaver so much, more than his life. He wanted to take the next step in their relationship, but he didn't know if Ashley was ready or not.

Once they headed back home, Seaver invited him inside for some of her homemade peppermint-chocolate cake and apple cider, since the month of October just started a few days ago.

"This is really good," Jason said after taking a bite. "Could I get a copy of the recipe? I think I'll make it at home and see how Phoebe and Stephen like it."

"Sure, I think I have one in my office. I'll get it," Seaver replied, leaving the room and heading down the hallway.

Gideon reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring box with a note attached that said, "Open me."

Seaver came back a few minutes later with the paper and noticed the box with the note.

"Here you-oh my!" she exclaimed, opening the box. Inside was a diamond ring with a purple amethyst, blue sapphire, red ruby, and green emerald surrounding the diamond.

"Oh Jason, this must have cost a fortune," Seaver said.

"You are worth more than any fortune," Gideon replied. "I don't want to spend my life alone anymore. I want to grow old with you and have a family. I love you more than anything. Ashley Seaver, will you be my wife and make me the happiest man alive right now?"

"Oh Jason…" was a response. "Of course I will. I will marry you."

She took the ring out of the box and handed it to Gideon, who put the ring on her finger and kissed her.

"The future Mrs. Gideon," he said, pulling her close.

* * *

**AN: I have had a chocolate-peppermint cake. My mom made it for my birthday one year and it was delicious. It was a chocolate cake with a chocolate-peppermint ganache (a topping made of chocolate and cream).**


	73. Not again

"How are we going to tell everyone?" Seaver asked her fiancé. "I don't feel ready to tell them."

"We can tell them when you're ready, Ash," Gideon replied. "I don't want to push this any more."

"Alright, let's wait a few days, and then we can tell them."

"Alright, sounds good to me."

The phone rang and Seaver hurried to answer it.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Seaver, hi, it's Chris Callahan," the voice said.

"Hi Chris, how are you doing?"

"Much better, thank you for asking. Anyway, Kate and I were wondering if you could come over for a few minutes? We had something we wanted to ask you."

"Um, sure. Gideon's at my house right now though."

"Oh ok. I guess he can come."

The call ended and Seaver turned to Gideon.

"Chris and Kate want to talk to me about something. They said you could come as well."

"Alright, I'll get my things and I'll meet you out at the car."

Seaver grabbed her jacket and keys and headed outside to her vehicle. Gideon had to grab his shoes and jacket off the couch.

Within ten minutes, the couple had parked the car in the Callahan's driveway and headed up to the front door. Seaver knocked and Chris answered right away.

"Come in," he said, stepping aside and letting the couple enter the house. Kate was in her wheelchair next to the couch. Chris sat next to her. Seaver was looking a little confused.

"We called you because we wanted to discuss something with you, Ashley," Chris said.

"Um, ok, I'm listening," was Seaver's response.

"Kate and I were wanting to have another baby, but due to her paralysis, we can't. It's just not possible for us. We were wondering if you wanted to be our surrogate," Chris said.

"I would love to," Seaver replied. "When should we have this done?"

"How about next week? I don't believe we have any plans that day. Do you?"

Seaver quickly looked through her phone's calendar. "I don't have anything going on that day. Yep, that will be fine."

She turned to Kate. "I heard that you had surgery done to hopefully repair your spinal cord. How is the recovery going?"

"It's going pretty well, actually. I have movement up to my hips and about halfway through my thighs. It's coming along really nicely, but it's a slow process. I'm going back to the physical therapist's office tomorrow. Maybe one day I'll actually be back working at the BAU."

Kate noticed the ring on Seaver's finger. "That's a really pretty ring. Where did you get it?"

"It's actually my engagement ring," Ashley said. "I'm not exactly sure where Jason got it."

"Congratulations, guys!" Chris exclaimed.

"Invitations will be sent out soon. Jason and I have to discuss the date and many other things."

* * *

JJ dropped the pregnancy test on the floor after seeing the results come back after twenty minutes. She was carrying another child. Reid would be overjoyed to hear the news, especially since she had regained almost 100 percent of the hearing lost in her left ear. She had to call Hotch and tell him that she couldn't come into work today because she wasn't feeling so great. She headed into the kitchen and grabbed some soda crackers and apples. Being pregnant before told her that she needed to eat really healthy once again.

Reid came home from work around eight in the evening to find JJ sitting on the couch cuddling Henry and eating soda crackers.

"JJ, are you…?" Reid asked, seeing her continue to eat the crackers.

"Am I what?" was her response.

"Are you pregnant?"

"I am," she said. "I found out this morning."

Reid cracked a smile and sat down next to his wife. He hugged her tightly, but not tight enough that Henry would get squished.

"I'm so happy," Spencer said. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving me another little person to love."

* * *

Garcia was heading to the doctor's office to have her five-month scan and find out the gender of the baby. Morgan was out in Baltimore due to another case, so she was having to go to her appointment alone during her lunch break.

Once at the office, the nurse called Garcia into the room right away and told her to lift her shirt up a bit so that she could get the gel on her stomach.

"Will your husband be joining you today?" the nurse asked, pulling out the sonogram machine.

"Unfortunately, no. He's out of town for work. But I'm sure he would much rather be here than there."

The nurse took the stick-type instrument and moved it across the gelled area of Garcia's stomach. A heartbeat was heard and soon the image of her baby was on the screen.

"Would you like to know the gender?" the nurse questioned.

"Yes, please," Garcia said.

"You're having a boy."

The technical analyst was happy about the results. She didn't care what gender the baby was; she just cared that the baby was healthy and progressing through the trimesters normally.

A picture of the baby was printed off and then the appointment was over.

* * *

Out in Dumfries, Virginia, Beth had just received orders from Will to head back to Quantico. It was time to start Phase Two of the mission. She and her lover would be one step closer into bringing down the BAU once and for all. Ryan had failed the mission and now Will and Beth were going to finish the job.

Beth and Will arrived in Quantico twenty minutes later, their car's gas tank full and a container of the secret compound ready to be used. Two girls were walking home from school that day, and Beth smiled as she thought about what Will was going to do to them.

Clemmons stepped out of the car and tasered both girls, temporarily paralyzing them and allowing her to abduct them both.

"Our plan failed, Ms. Meg," Beth said. "It's time that we picked up where we left off. Unfortunately, your friend Markayla was going to be a witness, so I have to take her along with me."

Meg and Markayla were secured in the trunk and Clemmons got back into the passenger seat. Will quickly drove away, making sure that there were no witnesses or cameras that could have seen the crime.

* * *

Kate had left her consultant position after Meg had been rescued yesterday. Callahan was going back to teaching her fourth-grade students.

Kate had just arrived home from her physical therapy appointment when she got a call from Rossi.

"Dave, what's up?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, but Meg was abducted again."


	74. Another disappearance and search begins

Kate felt like she was going to pass out. Meg abducted once again. It had barely been 24 hours since she was rescued from that horrible prison. And now she was gone.

"I'm so sorry," came Rossi's response. "We're going to do everything we can to get her back."

"I hope so," said Kate. She ended the call and leaned onto Chris's shoulder. "That creep took our baby girl again. She's been abducted. I swear I'm going to kill that guy myself."

"Who called?" asked Chris.

"It was Rossi. He was just telling me what had happened."

* * *

Garcia awoke after a somewhat-pleasant night's sleep. The baby had been kicking several times throughout the night, so she had woken up whenever her child was awake. She hadn't told Morgan what the gender of the baby was yet because he wanted to be surprised. She headed out to the kitchen to make some breakfast. Her baby was making her hungry for a fruit smoothie containing pineapple and strawberries. Morgan was awaken by the sound of the Ninja Blender being turned on and running.

"Morning, BabyGirl," he said after entering the kitchen. He give her a kiss. "Did you sleep well?"

"Morning to you, Sugar," she replied. "I guess. This little one is driving me crazy. I woke up several times in the middle of the night because I kept getting kicked on the inside."

The phone rang right when Morgan was about to open the fridge and look for some breakfast.

"Morgan household," Garcia answered. "WHAT?! Seriously? I'm going to kill that creep myself! Ok, we'll be down there in 30."

She ended the call. Morgan turned to face his wife.

"That was Rossi," she said. "Meg was abducted again. It's barely been 24 hours since she was rescued and now she's gone again. We need to be back at Headquarters in half an hour. I guess you can't work out this morning."

"Guess not," was Derek's reply. He quickly got his breakfast and then hurried to the bedroom to get ready.

* * *

Within a half hour, the entire team was back at the BAU Headquarters going over Meg's second abduction report. There had been one witness-a black-haired man-who had seen a young girl being tasered and thrown into the trunk of a dark van. But the witness didn't see a license plate since he was too far away, but he did manage to provide the BAU with some helpful information. Callahan was crying hard. She worked all those hours to get her niece back, and now the creep had taken her once again. Kate wished that she could walk again so that she could kill Will and Beth herself. She was regaining some movement every passing day and after going to the physical therapist's office, she was told that one day-soon-that she would probably regain feeling back in the lower half of her legs and in her feet. She was going back to the therapist's office after work that day.

* * *

At the end of the workday, there had been no leads as to where Will and Beth might have taken Meg. But Markayla's mother had come to the BAU and said that her daughter never made it home from school yesterday. The team realized that this had been a double abduction. They were going to have to work a lot harder if they were to get both girls back alive. And no one wanted anyone else to die. The team had suffered their fair share of death already.

Erin was going to her OBGYN to find out how her baby was doing and what gender the baby was. Rossi was going to her appointment with her and Alyse would be coming along since the appointment would only take about ten minutes. Erin was also going to give Kate a ride to her physical therapy appointment since the building was on the way to the OBGYN's office. Alyse had fallen asleep before Rossi had even put her in her carseat.

Kate sat down in the backseat with some help from Erin and then she headed up to the passenger's seat while Rossi would be the driver. The couple got into the car and headed towards the two buildings.

About five minutes into the drive, Kate pulled out her phone-still at 60 percent-and handed it to Erin.

"I've got this really catchy song that Chris introduced me to," Callahan said. "I think you'd like it."

"Ok, what's it called?" Erin asked.

"It's on my Spotify. It's called American Trash by Innerpartysystem."

"What the heck?" Rossi said. "What kind of a song is that?"

"It's pop, my friend," was Kate's response. "What, you don't listen to pop?"

"Unfortunately, no," said Erin. "He's more of a classical music kind of guy."

Erin found the song on Kate's only playlist and pressed 'play'. The song started out kind of slow, but about thirty seconds through, the words began.

In the backseat, Kate was jamming out to the song.

"'I've got this planet in my hands. You know I'll waste it if I can. Come on let's give it a twist and if it all turns to crap-oh wait, let's try that again,'" Kate sang. Erin soon joined in.

"'My life's too short to have a plan. Here, let me help you understand. First take this drink and this pill. Relax your mind and be still. Let's find out who I am,'" Erin sang. She surprisingly had a good voice.

Rossi was tapping his fingers against the steering wheel once the car stopped at a red light. Little did they know that the windows were rolled down and Emily and Hotch were in the next car over, recording the entire scene. They were almost laughing, but they managed to keep their voices silent.

All of a sudden, Rossi joined in. Erin was surprised that he joined in the song when he had never heard it. Erin had heard 'American Trash' on the radio a couple of times on the way to work when Dave wasn't around.

"''Cause I-I'm just American trash. Stupid American trash. I'm just American-Stupid American trash,'" was Rossi's attempt at singing the song.

Kate and Erin were singing the second verse of the song, completely lost in the moment and beginning to really jam out to the song.

"'I've got this planet in my hands. Yeah, I'll try to save it if I can. I'm satisfied with myself. Don't care for anyone else. I'm so united when I stand. I get my facts from the TV. Believe in everything I read. It's such an ignorant bliss. When the whole world wants to be like me,'" the two women sang. The light turned green and the car drove away, with Emily following closely behind. She and Hotch were heading to the grocery store to grab a few morning snacks for Jack to eat at his recess. Emily planned to show Kate the video tomorrow.

* * *

At the OBGYN's office, Erin was lying down on the table, the gel being spread over her stomach. A medium-sized bump was starting to stick out.

"Alright, are you ready to see your baby?" the nurse asked, begin to move the instrument across Erin's stomach. "Also, did you want to know the sex of the baby?"

"Yes to both," Erin said. Rossi nodded in agreement as he sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"Alright, well…"

The nurse continued to move the instrument around until a clear picture of the baby was shown on the screen.

"Your baby is normal and healthy at this stage. Everything's looking good. As for the gender, you're having a little girl."

Erin couldn't believe that another little girl would be brought into the world in a few months. She felt blessed to be having children at her age. She was almost 57, an age where having children wasn't really common. Alyse was going to have a little sister to look after when she got a little older.

After the appointment was over, Erin called Kate.

"What's up, Mrs. Section Chief?" Callahan asked politely.

"I just found out that I'm having another girl," was Erin's response.

"Poor Rossi-he's now going to be surrounded by women and hormones."

The two women laughed, and Kate had to go because the therapist was coming back to help her with another set of exercises.

* * *

JJ was sitting at home with Reid. The couple was watching a movie and enjoying the quiet time they had before Henry would wake up and either demand milk or needed his diaper changed. She put a hand to her left ear, which was still hurting a bit. She had completely regained full hearing and felt a lot better than being half-deaf for the rest of her life.

* * *

The next morning at work, Emily had her phone out and ready to show Callahan the video. Kate looked a lot better than a few months ago when she was still dealing with not being able to use the lower half of her body. She had problems going to the bathroom due to muscles being damaged. But she was slowly starting to have less problems.

"Hey, Kate, I want to show you something," Emily said. Her co-worker wheeled herself over and then saw the tape.

"Oh my gosh! Delete that!" Callahan exclaimed. "NOOO!"

"Aaron saw it too," was Emily's reply. "We recorded the whole thing and showed to Erin and Dave. They were completely embarrassed."

"Delete it!"

"Hold on a minute. I have a bet for you. We're going to bet on the gender of Garcia's baby. If I'm right, then you have to pay me twenty bucks and I'm going to show the video to the rest of our co-workers. But if you're right, then I have to pay you twenty bucks and I won't show the video."

"Deal," Callahan said. Their fun came to a sudden end when Hotch and Strauss entered the room.

"We have a situation," Hotch said to the two women. "SSA Tia Canning didn't show up for work this morning and we believe Will is behind her disappearance."


	75. New lead and good news for Callahan

**AN: I am going on vacation for three weeks to visit family, so I probably won't get a chance to update and today might be the last update until I can get to a computer again. But if I do have a free moment, I will try and post something. When I come back home, I'll be able to update regularly again.**

* * *

When Callahan heard that another FBI agent went missing because of Will, she passed out. Emily immediately raced over to her and tried to bring her out of unconscious. It took about fifteen seconds, but then Callahan opened her eyes and looked around the room, completely confused and having no idea where she was.

"You're still at the BAU," Emily said. "You just passed out."

"I'm starting to remember now," Callahan replied. "Hotch was thinking that Will was responsible for Tia's disappearance."

"That's correct," said Hotch. "CSU is heading over to her house now to see if there are any clues and also to see if the neighbors saw anything."

* * *

_Yeah you can start over, you can run free_

_You can find other fish in the sea_

_You can pretend it's meant to be_

_But you can't stay away from me_

_I can still hear you making that sound_

_Taking me down, rolling on the ground_

_You can pretend that it was me_

_But no, oh_

SSA Tia Canning heard the music coming from what sounded like a car radio. But she couldn't hear that well since her surroundings appeared to be soundproofed. There was no way she could scream for help with a cloth tied around her mouth. She just wanted to go back home and to the BAU to put an end to Will and Beth.

Tia heard the car going off the main road. She wondered if they were in a driveway or on the side of the road. Footsteps were heard and someone opened the trunk door. Tia had to shut her eyes because the sunlight was bright.

"We're here," Will said, grabbing her arm and pulling out of the trunk. Tia looked around at her surroundings and saw that she was a semi-residential area. But it didn't look like Quantico.

Will led Tia to a house that appeared to be the furthest away from the other houses. Something seemed really strange.

He removed the cloth and threatened her not to scream or she wouldn't see anyone she cared about ever again. Tia was forced to go inside the house and gasped in horror at the sight of Gina Sharp, Markayla Davis, and Meg Callahan.

"I brought you three ladies a friend since Andi Swann got away," Will said. "Beth is out getting some food, but she'll be back soon."

Tia felt like passing out. She needed to get out of this place. But she didn't know if she'd be able to.

* * *

Another day had passed and no leads on where Meg and the two agents were had appeared. Kate was going back to her physical therapist's office to receive some good news and for another appointment. Before she left work that day, Hotch walked up to her.

"Kate, I was wondering if you would like to rejoin the team sometime in the future?" he asked. "I see that your recovery is coming along very nicely."

"It really is," she said. "But in answer to your question, yes, I think I could do that. I would love to."

She held out her arms to hug him, but since she couldn't stand up and walk yet, Hotch knelt down at her level and gave her a hug. He didn't notice Emily walking towards him until she cleared her throat. Hotch turned around and saw his wife standing there with paperwork in her hands.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Kate," he said. Callahan reached onto her desk and grabbed her purse and wheeled herself out of the building. Chris was going to drive her to her appointment.

"Why were you hugging Kate?" Emily asked.

"I offered Kate her BAU position. That's all. I'm not cheating on you, Em. I always look at the band you gave me and it makes me think of how you are irreplaceable. I will always love you."

"And I will too," she said. She handed him her paperwork and gave him a kiss. "I'll see you at home."

"Slut!" someone shouted. Emily turned around and saw Martin, her former workplace bully. "You're still sleeping with your boss!"

"Shut up, Martin," Emily snapped. "You're not going to hurt me anymore."

She raised her left hand and showed off her rings. "Do you see what I'm wearing?"

Hotch did the same thing and showed off his wedding band to Martin.

"i'm wearing a wedding ring," Emily said to her former bully. "As you can see, my boss has a wedding band. We're married. Look around at his team. Everyone on the team is married to either a co-worker or something else."

"Agent Martin," Hotch snapped. "If you call my wife any name like that ever again, I will personally have your badge taken away and you will be fired. I will be speaking to the Director and we'll see what he thinks about your actions."

* * *

An hour later, Kate's appointment was finished. Her therapist was about to present her with good news.

"Mrs. Callahan," the therapist said. "You now have movement up to your knees. Congratulations."

Kate felt relieved. The procedure for taking out one of her olfactory bulbs and making it into another type of cell had changed her life. She was probably going to be able to walk again in a few months.

* * *

The next morning, JJ got a call from one of Rossi's CIA co-workers, saying that they had a lead on Gina's location. The CIA had seen Will drop Gina off at an abandoned warehouse and drive off. The camera was too far away to catch a license plate.

The team was grabbing their weapons and heading out to the parking lot to head off to the location. It was time to get Gina away from Will and hopefully get some answers as to what he was planning in the future and where the other three hostages were.


	76. Bad Diagnosis

**AN: I did bring my computer with me, so if I get a chance, I will be able to update my stories. But it might not be every day depending on what I have going on with my family.**

* * *

Within twenty minutes, the team had arrived at the warehouse where Will had dropped off Gina. The BAU was prepared to go in with a tactical approach but would be careful when they heard signs of life.

"FBI!" shouted Hotch, Reid, and Morgan. The three men heard a cry for help coming from the back of the warehouse. Several SWAT team members found Gina crying and huddled in a ball. She looked so frightened. But when she saw the FBI coming to get her, she felt so relieved. She was going to be rescued and away from Will. But she needed to find him. She wanted to put a bullet in his head so that he could pay for what he had done to ruin her and her friends' lives.

* * *

At the hospital while Gina was getting a physical exam done, she had a biopsy taken of her insides because the doctor had spotted a mass near the lower part of her pelvis and wanted it to be sent to the lab to be examined. However, she was going to have to wait four days for the results to come back. So, she went home and was put under witness protection. Four days later, she headed back to the hospital to find out the results of the biopsy. She quickly arrived at the hospital, where she was called down to the exam room right away.

"Ms. Sharp," the doctor said. "I have the results of your biopsy. They are not what we wanted to see."

"Oh no," Gina cried, feeling the color drain from her face. "Do I have…?"

"Yes, you have cancer. Ovarian cancer."

Gina felt like crying. She knew how deadly this cancer could be and that the five-year survival rate was less than fifty percent.

"However, I do have a small piece of good news for you. Since the cancer is only at stage two, there is a greater chance that we can get rid of the cancer."

"What do you mean the cancer is at stage two?"

"It means that the cancer is limited to one or both ovaries, but hasn't spread to other organs such as the lungs or liver. The survival rate for women with stage two ovarian cancer is between 70 to 80 percent. We need to do some screening to see where the tumors are. If there are tumors on both of your ovaries, that means we're going to have to take them out and you will be unable to have children."

* * *

In another room of the same hospital, JJ's mother Sandy had just received some devastating news: she was dying of an aggressive tumor on her brainstem, the part of the brain connecting it to the spinal cord. Chemotherapy and radiation weren't going to work since the tumor was far too advanced. Sandy didn't know how she was going to tell her daughter and son-in-law that she was dying.

She knew she needed to call JJ.

"Reid residence," Spencer answered.

"Hi Spencer, it's Sandy," Mrs. Jareau said.

"Hi Mom, how are you doing?"

"Um, not great, actually. Is Jennifer in the room?"

"Um, let me check."

A minute later, JJ was on the line. "Mom?"

"Jennifer, it's so good to hear your voice. Listen, I need to tell you something important."

"And I do too."

"Actually, you go first."

"Alright. I'm pregnant."

Sandy was smiling. She was going to have another grandchild. But she didn't know if she would be alive to see him/her.

"That's great news, honey. I'm happy for you and Spencer. But my news isn't so great."

"What's happening, Mom?"

"Remember I told you the doctor found a strange mass at the base of my brain?"

"Yes."

"The mass is an advanced tumor. I'm dying, Jennifer. They can't take the tumor out."

"I'm so sorry, Mom. We'll come up to see you this weekend, is that ok? Hotch should be ok with Reid and I going away for the weekend."

"Hotch? As in your cute boss?"

"Mother!" JJ exclaimed. "Ew! That's gross. Mother, Hotch is a nice guy and he's a great boss. We all love him. But he's married to my best friend and he's not getting a divorce. He loves her, ok?"

"Ok, I understand. I'll see you this weekend."

* * *

After the call ended, JJ started crying. Reid came over to his wife and sat next to her.

"JJ, what's going on?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"My mother's dying, Spence. She has a brainstem tumor."

"JJ, I'm so sorry. Come here."

He pulled her into a comforting hug and stroked her hair as she continued to cry.

* * *

The team received a call from the CIA a few days later saying that they had a possible location on where Meg, Markayla, and Tia were. The BAU were already heading out to their cars after Strauss gave the "ok, proceed with caution" signal. The team headed to an office building that appeared to be occupied. Were the CIA trying to trick them or were the hostages actually inside the building?

Hotch and the team entered the building-guns pointed straight in front of them-and startled the people working inside.

"Everyone, it's ok. We're the FBI, and we are in the middle of a case. A possible lead has taken us to this location," Hotch said, trying to calm the people down. The SWAT team began spreading out and searching the building for any clues. Emily had decided to join them and after reaching the third floor, she suddenly felt a throbbing pain in her ankle. She found that she could barely stand up and put any weight on her right ankle. One of the SWAT team members carried her back downstairs to Hotch. After an hour, the building had been searched completely, but there was no sign of the hostages. Hotch felt frustrated because every passing day that Meg, Markayla, and Tia were missing, then the chances of Will or Beth killing them were getting higher.

* * *

Markayla felt the rope bonds around her hands loosening up. She knew that if she managed to get free, she would go get help. The problem was, she had no idea if she was still in Quantico. After another few minutes of struggling, the ropes around her hands loosened and slid onto the floor. Meg and Tia were giving her looks that said, Don't worry about us. Just get out of here and go get help.

Markayla noticed that there was an open window, which she promptly climbed through and landed on the grass. She took one last look of her prison and took off into the night. She managed to find a house that had its outside lights on. She frantically knocked on the door and a young woman let her come inside. Markayla dialed her mother and then the BAU.


	77. Bringing back earlier unsubs

Hotch helped Emily to get back on her feet but found that she was crying out in pain every time she stepped on her right ankle as she walked out of the office building.

"Em, what's going on?" he asked. "Can you walk?"

"No," she replied. "I think I sprained my ankle. Can you take me to the doctor?"

"Sure."

Hotch helped his wife out to their car and allowed her to rest her ankle on the way to the doctor's office. Emily was called in right away, but then Hotch got a call from JJ.

"Excuse me a minute," he said. He answered his ringing phone. "Hello?"

"Hotch, it's JJ. Markayla was just found in Dumfries. We're on our way there now."

"Alright, call me when you get there. I'm staying with Emily while she gets her ankle examined."

"Is everything ok?"

"She thinks that she might have sprained her ankle. I'm sorry, I need to go."

"Alright."

Hotch and JJ said goodbye and then he headed back into the exam room.

"Sorry, that was JJ," he told his wife. "They found Markayla."

"That's good," she replied.

After a few minutes, the doctor had his diagnosis.

"Emily, your ankle is indeed sprained but not fractured or broken. You're going to have to rest up at home for about a month until you're healed. Is your Superior around?"

"I'm her Superior," Hotch replied.

"Oh, ok. I recommend that Emily takes a LOA for a month. She needs to lie down and keep icing her foot every twenty to thirty minutes. When she takes the ice off, then she needs to rest her foot for about twenty minutes before she puts the ice back on."

Hotch and Emily were allowed to leave and he drove her back home. The neighbors looked after Cynthia while both of her parents went to work.

"Hotch, can I look after Cynthia since I'm going to be home for a month?" Emily asked.

"Well, you're going to need some help with some things," Hotch replied. "I think the neighbor is home all the time, so you could call her up and ask her to come over here to help out with the things you need."

"But I want to help out with the case, Aaron. I want to help Markayla."

"Emily, you are injured. You can't walk without crying in pain. You need to rest up for a month. Doctor's orders. We'll see how you're doing in a month. Then I'll see if you well enough to come back to work."

* * *

Will was using his common alias to get in and out of the Quantico Penitentiary. The guards knew him so well that he didn't even have to show his ID. Will walked over to the cafeteria and saw two people sitting at one of the tables. One person was a woman with long hair and the other was a man with short brown hair.

"Mr. Vogel, how nice to see you again," Will said. "And I'm already forgetting your name. What was it again?"

"Clara," the woman answered. "Clara Hayes."

"And what did you two get thrown in prison for?"

"Well, I brainwashed Gideon into hijacking his team's plane. I also successfully kidnapped Erin Strauss a year ago and tried to have her join the team. In the end, the BAU caught me and I was thrown in this awful place. I want out," Tim Vogel said.

"And you, Ms. Hayes?"

"I killed someone after setting a room on fire and trapping him inside. I also set a few more fires, but no one else was killed," she replied.

"Well, I came here to tell you that I know a secret way out." Will's voice level dropped to a whisper.

"You do?"

Will explained the plan and where the secret exit was. He explained that this plan had worked in getting his girlfriend out into the world so that she could complete more missions.

"We'll try that tonight," Clara said. "I want to be free once again."

* * *

Kevin had finished one of his twenty hours of community service. He was about to head out to his car and drive home for the evening when he saw Hotch walking towards him.

"Mr. Lynch, may I talk to you for a minute?" Hotch asked.

"Um, sure," Kevin replied.

"Since Garcia is going on her maternity leave in two months, I was wondering if you would like to be our technical analyst during that time?"

Kevin couldn't believe he was getting another job. He had almost lost his position after he received his community service hours punishment.

"Sure, I'd love to," was his response.

"Great, that's all I needed to know. I'll let Strauss know tomorrow morning."

Hotch said goodnight and left.

* * *

Joyner and Jessica pulled their car into the airport parking lot. They had decided to go on their honeymoon now instead of waiting until the killer was caught. Hotch thought it would be better for his sister-in-law and her wife to be away from Quantico for a bit because then Will would more than likely stay away from them. Joyner and Jessica were going away for three weeks and during their trip, they were going to New York for a couple of days, then going to Europe for the rest of the honeymoon.

* * *

After the prison guards left the holding cells area for the night, Vogel and Clara made their escape and were officially out of prison. They spotted Will's car out on the street and climbed into the backseat. He immediately took off for the secret location in Dumfries. He knew that Markayla wouldn't reveal where the location was because he had given her a drug that caused amnesia.

* * *

It was a night where JJ and Spencer could just relax and not focus on work. Henry was sleeping over with Jack for the night. JJ and Spencer were going out to dinner and enjoying a quiet evening at home without their son.

They headed to a Mexican restaurant and just enjoyed their dinner. Reid even took her dancing after they finished their meal. Even his favorite Latin artist-Ricky Martin-was playing in the background. It was the song "Adiós," Reid's favorite song.

_¿Cómo paro el dolor? (How do I stop the pain?)_

_Dímelo, ¡Por favor! (Tell me, please!)_

_No quiero perder el control. (I don't want to lose control.)_

_Ahogando mi pena en alcohol (Drowning my sorrow in alcohol.)_

_Y dejando que me ganes de un gol. (And letting you beat me by a goal.)_

"I love you for eternity, Jennifer Jareau-Reid," Spencer said, kissing his wife.

"And I love you for eternity, Spencer Reid," JJ replied, kissing him again.


	78. A Marriage on the Rocks

**AN: I am going back home soon, so I will be update more regularly until I have to go back to school.**

* * *

It had been a total of five months since Meg Callahan had been abducted for the second time. Emily's ankle was completely healed and Joyner and Jessica had returned from their honeymoon just over a month ago. They had a really great time in New York and Europe. Cynthia was growing fast and had learned to hold her head up and sit up. Her eyes had started to turn a dark brown like her father's. Jack was soon going to be heading into the fifth grade. Kate Callahan had some excellent news for her former team members: she had regained full movement in her legs and was coming back to the BAU in a couple of weeks. Since the school year was almost over, Kate was going to finish her last two weeks and then go back to working at the BAU and would hopefully find Meg soon. Callahan also got word from the doctor that the IVF was successful and Seaver was pregnant. Chris and Kate were looking forward to the day when their son or daughter was born.

* * *

Meg opened her eyes and stared at the same ugly walls she's been staring at for the past five months. She wanted to get out of this place and go back to her aunt and uncle. She wondered if Markayla did go get help or if Will had taken her again and hidden her someplace.

"It's time!" Will snapped, entering the room. He held his 'rat poison' container in his hand and pulled out the nozzle. "Meg, I promise you this won't hurt a bit. It will all be over soon."

He pointed the nozzle in her face and gave her three squirts of whatever was inside the container. At least it wasn't poison.

"You will now listen to me whether you like it or not," Will snapped. Beth just stood in the doorway and smiled at what her lover had done. He turned to his girlfriend.

"I overheard Hotchner talking to his wife about having to leave Quantico for a day to go to a work conference in Baltimore. I already booked you a ticket under an alias. You don't worry about anything. You've been wanting Aaron all this time, and now you will get your chance."

Beth looked like she was about to pass out. She was finally going to get the man she had fallen in love with long ago.

* * *

**AN: Very slight mature themes in this section.**

* * *

Hotch finally reached his hotel room at ten o'clock the next night. It was a quiet evening in Baltimore and he was just wanting to get this conference over with and go back home to his wife and children. But things were about to take a turn for the worse.

Hotch entered the room and found a metal bucket with a bottle of water and a few snacks. Inside was a note. He opened the note and saw that the bucket was from Emily.

-Thought you might want some food while you were away. I also ordered a bottle of water. See you tomorrow night. I love you. Jack and Cynthia say hi and they miss you.-

~Emily

Hotch smiled. He already missed his family and he wanted to be back home with them. He decided that he was going to get changed for bed before he ate one of the snacks. He headed into the bathroom and immediately got hit in the face with the automatic room spray. It smelled like strawberries, his favorite fruit.

But after about three minutes, he knew that something was seriously wrong. He began to feel lightheaded and felt himself becoming weaker. Something was not right with that room spray. The last thing he heard before he blacked out on the bathroom floor was the sound of someone putting their hotel key card into the lock and walking into his room.

* * *

Hotch awoke a few minutes later. His head had leaned forward and now he awoke, discovering that he was sitting in a chair, his arms restrained to the armrests. He was still under the influence of something because his vision was a little blurry. He managed to make out the image of a brunette woman. She looked like Emily.

"Hello Aaron," the figure said. "I'm sorry that I had to come here this way."

Hotch recognized her voice instantly-Beth. But what was she doing here? And how did she find out that he wasn't even in Quantico?

"What-what did you put in the room spray?" Hotch mumbled.

"A fast-acting drug. It will make you comply."

"What do you want from me?" His voice was becoming more clear.

"I want you, Aaron. I still love you. I wish you had just gotten that divorce when I told you to. But somehow, you fought the mind control and became sane again. But I've been wanting just one moment like this ever since I met you. You were and are still very handsome."

"I will never love you, you psycho," Hotch snapped. "You belong in a mental hospital."

Beth slapped him across his face. She became angry and grabbed his jaw.

"Listen to me, Aaron. You will do something with me one time, otherwise I will call my boss right now and have him kill your wife and children."

"Are you asking me to betray my wedding vows? Because that isn't happening. The only person I love is Emily and what you're asking me to do is something I will only do with her."

"Either you do that with me tonight or I call Will and your family is dead. You have ten seconds to make a decision."

Hotch knew he was going to regret his choice. But he was still under the influence of the drug. He had five seconds left.

"Fine. I'll do it; just don't hurt them."

"Excellent choice. I'm going to cut the zip-ties. This will all be over soon. Maybe five or ten minutes and I'll be gone and leave you alone."

Hotch felt his blood boiling as he got off the chair and kissed Beth. He felt disgusted the entire time as he was forced to break his wedding vows.

* * *

The next night, Hotch landed at the airport on time and found Emily waiting outside the terminal for him. She kissed him, then felt her phone buzz. She stopped the car at a red light and saw that an unknown text had come through. She opened the text and discovered that a 30-second video had been sent to her. She knew that she had about a minute-and-a-half until the light would turn green, so she opened the video. And when it finished, she couldn't even speak. She felt her throat closing up and when she looked at her husband, disgust filled her thoughts.

"Get out of the car," Emily said.

"What?" Hotch asked. "I'm confused."

"GET OUT OF THE CAR!" Emily repeated. She saw the horrified look on Jack's face.

"Emily-"

"GET. OUT. Find your own way home. I'm not driving you back to the house."

Hotch grabbed his overnight bag and got out of the car. He watched Emily drive away through the steady stream of airport traffic.

Fifteen minutes later, he was dropped off at home by JJ. She asked him to call her once he found out why Emily was mad at him.

JJ headed back to her house and Hotch walked up the front porch and unlocked the front door. He saw Emily sitting on the couch, her back to him.

"Emily?" he asked. "Please talk to me."

"Alright I will. A, pack your things. B, get out of this house. And C, we're through," she snapped.

"Emily, what's going on?"

"I got a video of you in bed with Beth. You went off on a 'work trip' and instead, I get a text from Will with this video."

"Emily, this is a mistake."

"I can't believe you. Not after last time. I forgave you, but this time I can't."

Hotch grabbed his things and called JJ. He explained the situation, but when she heard what had happened, she got mad. She said that he wasn't allowed to stay with her.

Hotch had no idea what he was going to do.


	79. Hotchniss

Hotch picked up his phone and dialed Rossi.

"What's up, Hotch?" Dave asked.

"Can I crash at your place for tonight? Emily kicked me out of the house and now I'm freezing."

"Sure. I'll be there in ten minutes."

As Hotch waited outside for his ride, he thought about how his marriage was failing once again. Emily was probably never going to forgive him for what had happened and when it came to light, their work life was going down the drain and there would be a lot of fighting. He needed to tell her the truth, but he didn't know if she would listen to him ever again.

He saw Rossi's car pulling up in front of the house, but then the Unit Chief heard the door open. Hotch turned around and saw Jack running out to him.

"Daddy!" the boy said. "I don't want you to go!"

"I'm sorry, Buddy, but Mommy and I need some time apart. I have to listen to her."

Then Hotch saw his wife walk out of the house with Cynthia. Emily gave the baby to Jack, who handed her to her dad. Hotch said goodbye to his daughter, then tried to say the same thing to Emily, but she put up her hand to stop him.

"Jack, take your sister inside and stay inside until I'm done with your father," Emily said to her stepson. He obeyed and took Cynthia down to her bedroom. Then, Jack heard his stepmother's loud voice fill the air.

"How dare you, Aaron Hotchner, try to say goodbye to me after what you've done! I will never forgive you. That was the last straw for me. You and I are through. I'll see if Rossi will let me work at the CIA with him because I can't even look at you the same way ever again."

What she didn't know was that Rossi had gotten out of the car and heard the entire conversation. Emily saw her former co-worker and blushed red, completely embarrassed.

"What's going on?" Rossi asked.

"You'll find out soon enough, Dave. Agent Hotchner will tell you the entire story," Emily said. She then turned back to Hotch, who looked like he was about to cry.

"Oh stop your crying. You don't deserve to cry. If anyone needs to do that, it's me. You betrayed me, our marriage, and our family. I hope Beth makes you happy, Aaron. Go be with her since you love her so much. I guess I'm not important to you as I was."

Emily held up her left hand and slid off her wedding and engagement rings. She slapped them down into Hotch's open hand. He had been completely shocked and didn't mean to have his hand open.

"The next time I want to hear from you is at our divorce trial," she snapped, turning around and heading towards the house. She slammed the front door shut, leaving Hotch standing on the wet lawn.

Rossi looked at his best friend. "What did you do?"

"I'll tell you in the car," Hotch replied. "I'm cold."

He put his wife's rings in an extra plastic bag he had on him and then put the bag into his overnight bag where his house key was.

As they were driving towards the house, Rossi turned to Hotch, wanting to hear the story.

"Remember I told you about the work trip I was going have to take in Baltimore?" Hotch said.

"Yes. You weren't so happy about it."

"I wasn't. But anyway, I got to my hotel room and there was this basket of snacks and a bottle of water that Emily had ordered for me. I decided that I wanted to get changed for bed first. I went into the bathroom to take a shower and then got sprayed in the face with the automatic room spray. About three minutes, I started to feel lightheaded and dizzy. The last thing I remember was hearing someone enter the room and then I blacked out."

"You were drugged," Rossi said, realizing that Hotch and Emily's troubles were because Hotch was drugged.

"When I woke up, I was still in my hotel room, but then I saw a woman in front of me. I thought it was Emily because the woman looked like her, but then I heard the voice and realized that the woman was Beth. She had drugged me with something. And then she told me that she loved me."

"She really is a psycho."

"Yea, but then here comes the crazy part. She told me that I was going to be with her or she was gonna call Will and kill my family. I had no choice. I was disgusted. And then tonight, Will sent Emily a video of the scene with me and Beth."

"Oh no," Rossi said. "Emily thinks you cheated."

"I didn't, but since I was drugged, I had no choice. She'll probably never forgive me for what happened."

Dave pulled into the driveway and saw his wife standing out on the front porch holding Alyse in her arms.

"Hold on a minute, Hotch," Rossi said to his boss. "I need to tell Erin to get the guest bedroom ready."

A minute later, Hotch followed his co-worker into the house. He was crying so hard and put his head in his hands. He missed Emily so much and he didn't know what he was going to do without her.

Strauss received a call from the CIA Director saying that they needed another person on the team for a couple of weeks while the other person stayed home to fight the flu. Dave called Emily and told her that there was a position at the CIA open. She agreed to start working there tomorrow. Rossi told Hotch that Emily was not going to be working at the BAU for a couple weeks.

* * *

On a Monday morning two weeks later, Emily's time at the CIA was over and now she was going to have face Hotch for the first time since their big fight. She was in the process of getting a legal separation and then the couple would have to wait a year until the divorce was finalized. She was also planning on resigning from the BAU and taking Cynthia and Jack with her to a new job in Canada that she had been offered a week ago. She still had about a month to make her final decision.

And now, Emily showed her credentials to the sign-in desk and headed up to the sixth floor. She saw Kate Callahan standing by the board with Will's case file and evidence on it. Emily hugged her friend and was glad to see that she had fully healed from her devastating injury. She also saw Kevin Lynch standing by the board, but there was no sign of Garcia.

"Where's Penelope?" Emily asked her co-workers.

"She's officially on maternity leave as of Friday," Morgan replied. "Kevin is the new Technical Analyst until she comes back. She had her seven-month scan on Saturday and we found out we're having a boy."

Emily was happy for Morgan and Garcia. Her mood remained happy until she saw Hotch come out of his office. Immediately, the team noticed that something was not right. Emily's eyes narrowed and they seemed to turn to an extremely dark shade of brown. Her hands became fists and her face turned a dark pink/light red.

"Emily, what's going on?" Reid asked. JJ and Rossi were the only people who knew the reason behind Hotch and Emily's fight.

"I'll tell you all later," Emily replied. She glared at Hotch as she walked past him and headed to the elevator.

The team then looked at Hotch.

"Why is she so mad at you?" Callahan asked.

"I...it's complicated," Hotch said. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

He turned around and headed back to his office.

* * *

In the elevator, Emily's work phone started ringing and she saw that Rossi was calling.

"Hello, Dave. What's up?" she asked.

"I have some news to tell you. My co-workers found some interesting evidence in the hotel room where Hotch was on the work trip."

"Don't-"

"Emily, Hotch was drugged," Rossi said quickly.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"The CSRU unit sent to the hotel found traces of two drugs in the bathroom's automatic room spray. One of which was a match to Peter Lewis's mind-control drugs."

"He was mind-controlled?"

"Partially. The other drug was one that knocked him out. The min-control one made do the whole...thing. CSRU found a small hidden recorder in the corner of the room, which Beth must have installed and then forgotten to take it with her when she left the room. We have been listening to the recording and found that Hotch was coerced to do the whole thing."

"Coerced?"

"Beth said that if Hotch didn't be with her, then she was going to call Will and have him kill you, Jack, and Cynthia. That is the absolute truth. Hotch never really cheated on you, Emily. He's been crying for two weeks straight, wanting you back. You should go talk to him."

Emily couldn't believe what she was hearing. Hotch was drugged? She was absolutely shocked.

* * *

Emily quickly headed back up to the bullpen, the tears streaming down her face. She was wrong to accuse her husband of cheating and then throwing him out of the house. When she got back into the bullpen, she raced to Hotch's office and knocked on his door. She entered and started crying even more. Hotch immediately got off his chair and slowly walked over to her.

"Hotch, I'm sorry," she said. "I got a call from Rossi and learned the whole truth. You were protecting me and our family. I'm sorry. I'll never forgive myself. I forgive you."

Hotch didn't need to be told twice. He quickly kissed her, never wanting to let go.

"We will make this up tonight when we get home," he said. "I'm not going to let Will get near you or our family ever again."

* * *

Rossi called JJ with news saying that the CIA had found Tim Vogel hiding in a warehouse. JJ, Reid, Hotch, and half of Rossi's CIA team took the left side of the warehouse, while the other half of the CIA and BAU teams took the right side.

Just when JJ passed by a pile of crates, she was suddenly yanked from behind. Vogel pressed a gun to the base of her jaw and backed himself up against one of the walls so that no one could come up behind him.

"Put your guns down or she dies!" Vogel shouted at the rest of the team as he pressed the gun a little harder into her jaw.

"JJ!" Reid cried, concerned for both the safety of his wife and unborn child.

"Let her go!" one of the CIA shouted. "The warehouse is surrounded by SWAT members. And the other half of the CIA and BAU has guns pointed at you. You're outnumbered."

"Oh yeah, like I'll just let her go," Vogel taunted. "Hey Hotchner, I heard you and Beth had a really great time. She told me all about it."

"Shut up," Hotch snapped at the unsub. "I'm going to find her and lock her away in a mental hospital because that's where she belongs. You belong in prison."

Vogel made a quick move and was about to pull the trigger, but one of the CIA pulled their trigger quicker and shot Vogel right between his eyes. JJ cried out and eagerly fell into Reid's protective embrace. At least one unsub was dead, but Beth and Will still needed to be found and arrested. And the team knew nothing about Clara Hayes' escape from prison.

* * *

That night after work, JJ and Reid arrived home and less than a minute later, the phone started ringing. She looked so pale once she saw who the caller ID was.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Ms. Jareau? It's Doctor Rogers. I've been taking care of your mother, Sandy," the voice said.

"Yes, is something wrong with her?"

"Unfortunately, Ms. Sandy Jareau passed away in the hospital an hour ago. I'm so sorry for your loss."

JJ said that she would be on her way to the hospital right away. Once she hung up the phone, she started crying. Reid looked at her and asked what was wrong.

"My mother just died," JJ said.

"Jennifer, I'm so sorry," Reid replied, pulling her into a hug and stroking her hair. The couple grabbed Henry and headed out to the car.

* * *

Back in Dumfries, Will was furious after learning that Vogel had been killed by the CIA. LaMontagne called Meg into the room and gave her a slip of paper with only one sentence written on it. She took the gun that Will offered her and headed out to a car, with Beth already in the driver's seat.

Beth dropped Meg off at her home and the teen made sure the gun was hidden. She wasn't going to use it until it was time.

Meg knocked on the front door and immediately Chris was the person to answer the door.

"Meg!" Chris said, hugging his niece. But after he pulled away, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the gun Will had given her. Meg pointed it directly at Chris. Will's voice was talking to her in her head.

"Meg?" Chris asked, confused.

"Chris Callahan has to die," Meg said in an almost robotic-like voice. "I've been ordered to kill you."


	80. Trying to close the case

Chris just looked at his niece in horror. How could such a sweet thirteen-year-old girl like Meg sudden become a person showing off a gun? Something was not right with her.

"Meg, what's going on? Put the weapon away," Chris said.

"I've been ordered to take you out of the picture," Meg replied. "And that means I have to end your life."

"Meg…"

"Shut up!" she snapped. "I have to do this. I've been ordered to."

As Chris slowly began reaching for the phone, Meg pulled the trigger and shot him. He fell to the floor, blood pooling around the gunshot wound to the chest.

"You don't have much time left," Meg said. "You'll bleed out."

She quickly turned around and headed back outside, getting into Beth's car and heading down the street and back to Dumfries.

* * *

Callahan arrived back at home two minutes later to pick up her lunch. When she saw that the front door had been left open, she knew something was wrong. She had barely taken a step into the house when she saw Chris lying on the floor, a puddle of blood completely soaking his shirt. He looked very pale and weak.

"Chris!" Kate said. "No, don't you dare leave me! I can't lose you!"

She raced to the phone and dialed 911. The paramedics had been dispatched and would be at the house very shortly. Kate began giving her husband CPR until the paramedics arrived to take him to the hospital. She wanted to hurt the person who had done this to him. He managed to open his eyes for a few seconds.

"Meg…" Chris struggled to say.

"Meg? Meg what?"

"Meg shot me," Chris said before the oxygen mask was put on and his eyes closed again.

Kate was astounded. Meg shot her own uncle? That seemed impossible.

* * *

Callahan spent her entire lunch break in the hospital. She was very concerned that Chris might not come out of the surgery alive. What if he died? What was she going to do with a 'psycho' niece and a baby on the way?

"Hey," Rossi said, walking into the waiting room. Kate saw that he had his BAU credentials in his hand.

"Hey," she replied. "You back at the BAU?"

"Yes. I've been wanting to come back the first day I left. I don't like the CIA as much as the BAU."

"Mrs. Callahan?" someone asked. Kate stood up when she saw a doctor coming towards her with a clipboard in his hand. "I'm Doctor Martinez, and I'm taking care of your husband."

"How is he?" Kate asked.

"He's out of surgery and is now in Recovery. He will be just fine."

Kate breathed a sigh of relief. Chris was going to be ok. But now she was going to track down her niece and find out why she shot her uncle.

* * *

That Saturday evening, Morgan and Garcia headed over to his mother's place for dinner. They arrived at the house within ten minutes.

"Hi!" Fran Morgan said, hugging her son and daughter-in-law. "The food was just pulled out of the oven a few seconds ago, so we'll be ready to eat momentarily."

Derek headed into the kitchen to help his two sisters serve the food. Fran and Penelope hugged again.

"How's my grandbaby doing?" Fran asked.

"Very well," Garcia replied, putting her hands on her belly. "His name is Andy."

But they were interrupted by Morgan yelling at someone in the kitchen.

"Sarah! Why would you do such a thing?" Morgan snapped.

"Derek, my name isn't Sarah anymore. It's Johnathan," the other person replied. "I am now a man."

Garcia sat down at the table looking forward to the home-cooked meal Fran and Morgan's two sisters-now sister and brother-had prepared. Morgan apologized to Johnathan and then the family sat down at the dinner table.

* * *

Two days later, JJ woke up crying. It was the day of her mother's funeral. Jennifer was going to give the eulogy, which in her mind was going to be the hardest thing.

The entire team attended Sandy's funeral and JJ cried while giving the eulogy of how amazing her mother was. JJ was going to miss her so much.

* * *

About a week after the funeral, the team was back at work trying to find Will. Rossi was still keeping in touch with his former CIA co-workers. One of them called Rossi to say that they found Beth's car driving along Highway 547. The BAU quickly grabbed their weapons and headed off to the location. But Emily grabbed a gigantic sniper rifle and put it in a case and threw it into the backseat.

"That's a pretty dangerous weapon, Em, are you sure you want to bring it?" Hotch asked his wife.

"Yes. I'm not going to kill anyone. There's no idea to. I just have a really great idea."

The BAU headed to the highway and Emily spotted a four-story apartment building about thirty feet from where everyone was standing.

"Everyone, get out of the way, I will take this car down with one shot," Emily said, running off towards the apartment building with Hotch running behind her.

The other profilers and agents got out of the way as Emily got herself set up on the balcony of one apartment facing the street. She made sure the sniper rifle was in position before she started doing the math in her head

"Target is in sight," Rossi said over the walkie-talkie. Hotch replied back saying that Emily was ready to fire.

She pulled the trigger and saw the hood of Beth's car get blown off by the force of the bullet. The car continued to drive until smoke started coming from the engine. Someone got out of the car and then the BAU stormed in.

The driver turned out to be Clara Hayes, who was arrested almost immediately. She would go on trial in a few weeks for escaping from prison. The team was feeling more relieved that another one of Will's accomplices had been caught and would not be doing any more of his missions. The team needed to find Meg and Tia and bring them back home safely. The team also needed to find Will and Beth and get justice for the people that had died by their hands.


	81. Another two months have passed

**AN: I am back from my vacation, so I will be able to update regularly. And with this chapter, we are beginning to wrap up the story. One three more to go plus an epilogue.**

* * *

Seaver looked at herself in the mirror. She adjusted her veil one last time and smoothed the final wrinkles out of her dress. Today was her wedding day and she was looking forward to becoming Ashley Seaver-Gideon. She wasn't regretting the decision to marry Jason; she loved him more than her own life. But she thought that maybe she hadn't told him that she loved him right after his wife died. That she was feeling guilty about because she might have started an affair if Elle was still alive.

Now, she heard the limo honk outside, and she knew it was time to head to the church for her wedding. She locked up her house and set them under the secret rock in her front yard. She entered the limo and rehearsed her vows one more time.

* * *

At the church, Jason was at the end of the aisle, waiting for his future bride to walk down and meet him. Ashley's father was not invited to the wedding since he was serving a life sentence for murdering 15 people. Her mother was sitting in the front pew along with her new husband.

The doors opened and Jason saw Ashley walk through and into the aisle. She looked absolutely stunning.

She reached the end of the aisle and put her hands in Jason's. The team sat back down and waited for the pastor to begin the ceremony.

Both Ashley and Jason poured their different colored sands into one larger jar so that it would form a pattern showing that their two lives were becoming one.

It was Jason's turn to say his vows.

"Ashley, when I first met you, I knew that you had a very strong personality. You were always there for me after I lost Elle. You stood by my side every time I needed help. I will always love you and promise to be there for you, no matter what."

He put the diamond ring on her finger and Jack gave Seaver the wedding band.

"Jason, I never thought I would find love again after my boyfriend left me for another woman. But I did and I will never let you go. I will always you and promise to take care of and be there for you when you need it."

She put the band on his finger and prepared to say the final words.

"Ashley Seaver, do you take Jason to be your lawfully wedded husband until death do you part?" the pastor asked.

"I do," she said.

"Jason Gideon, do you take Ashley to be your lawfully wedded wife until death do you part?"

"I do," he replied.

"By the power vested in me, by the state of Virginia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Jason, you may kiss your bride."

Jason brought her face up to his and kissed her as the guests got out of their seats and applauded for the newlyweds. They headed down to the dancefloor and prepared the first song. They hired an excellent DJ to cut out any swear words or inappropriate lines.

"Mrs. Gideon," Jason said to Ashley.

"Mr. Gideon," she replied. "I'm so happy."

"I'm so happy too."

* * *

Garcia and Morgan were dancing to the next song when she suddenly felt like she had to go to the bathroom. She felt like she was having an accident.

When she got to the bathroom, she discovered that her water had broken. She immediately texted Morgan and he came to get her. They headed out to the car and texted the team saying that she was going into labor.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Garcia was in a delivery room and holding Morgan's hand as she prepared for their son to come into the world. She felt tired after only a few minutes, but she ignored the pain and continued to push.

Soon after, she heard a small cry.

"He's here," Morgan said to his wife. He kissed her forehead and smiled once the baby was handed to Garcia.

"His name is Andy David Morgan," she replied. "Is that fine?"

"Whatever you want, BabyGirl. He's beautiful. You did great, honey. I'm so proud of you."

He kissed her. "I love you and I'm loving Andy already."

Garcia handed her husband the baby. Morgan cuddled Andy close to him and then handed him back to the nurse to get a few tests done.

* * *

Meg Callahan hadn't gone very far away from Kate. Just a month ago, Meg had been found on the side of the road, confused and tired. She was so happy to be out of her prison and she wanted to help her aunt find Will and eliminate him once and for all.

* * *

Tia Canning opened her eyes once she saw Will enter the room she had been locked up in for the past few months.

"You're going on a little trip," he said. "It's time to go to the airport."

"No! You're going to take me out of the country, aren't you? I won't let you!" Tia snapped.

"I'm sorry, but this is part of my part. It is required for me to fly you out of the country so that the BAU can't find you."

"They will find me, you idiot! Every government agency in the U.S. is looking for me! They will find me and throw you in prison. Your little girlfriend will probably end up in the same place as you will be going."

"Don't you ever talk to me about Beth in that way again!" Will snapped. "I love her. Have you ever been in love?"

"Yes, many times."

"Do you know how much it hurts when you talk in that way about someone you love? It hurts, doesn't it? Beth and I will burn the BAU to the ground and once they're all dead, then we'll get out of the country and start our lives together. You will probably be coming with us and we'll adopt you as our daughter."

"Are you crazy? I will never go with you! Interpol is probably looking for me as well. You will never get away with your actions!"

"Shut up. I don't want to hear another word out of you."

He slapped her across the face, causing Tia to wince. He grabbed her by the arm and led her out to his car.


	82. Traveling and Complications

**AN: I know I said that there would only be three more chapters plus an epilogue, but I have come up with a lot more ideas to make the story more fun. The story will end at 95 chapters. Starting at Chapter 86, I will be doing a triple-show crossover (the first being CM). The first show I will be using is Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. The second show is Person of Interest (POI), which will appear in Chapter 87, but there is a very minor mention near the beginning of this chapter.**

**Anyway, thanks again for the reviews and favorites/follows! On with the story… (I apologize for the long author's note.)**

* * *

Tia felt herself panicking in the trunk of Beth's car. Will was driving his girlfriend and Tia to the airport-about a half hour away from Quantico-and they were getting on her private plane and heading to the Czech Republic. Tia wanted more than anything to be back at the BAU and taking these two unsubs down. But she didn't know if she was going to be able to fight back.

"We're here," Tia heard Will say. His footsteps were loud on the asphalt as he walked over to the trunk and opened it. The SSA looked frightened.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you. I have no plans to. At least not until we get to the Czech Republic," Will continued. "I bet Interpol will never find us there. The U.S. government won't be able to trace our location."

"They will find me!" Tia snapped. "And I'll make sure that you and Beth pay for what you've done to all those innocent people. You'll pay for what you've done to my friends."

"Do I look like I give a crap?"

"No."

"You're absolutely correct. I don't really care."

Tia decided to stop talking and see if she could find a way to escape her prison. Little did she know that something not even human was going to be the one thing that would save her life. As Tia was being dragged across the street to the airport, she was hoping that she could attract attention from the TSA agents at Security or just anyone in the airport. Unfortunately, the rules weren't as strict when it came to private planes.

Tia turned her head for a couple of seconds, but it was enough for one of the airport cameras to capture a picture of her face.

But this was no ordinary camera. It did more than just watch everyone who came in and out of the airport.

On its screen was the picture of Tia and underneath the picture, the screen said:

CALCULATING SURVIVAL PERCENTAGE: 65.8.

The camera was sending this info back to a large computer system. Sitting at a desk and looking at the camera was a man with short hair and glasses. He turned to the man in the suit standing next to him and spoke something. The man in the suit grabbed his gun and headed off to the airport.

* * *

Erin was at home enjoying her time off work. It was time to prepare for motherhood once again and bring another little girl into the world.

When Rossi got home that evening, he found Erin in pain. He saw a puddle of water on the floor once she got off the couch.

"My water broke," she said. "It's time."

Rossi immediately grabbed their "hospital go-bag" and handed it to his wife. He raced down the hall and awoke his sleeping daughter. She was confused as to why her nap was being interrupted, but she went along with her father anyway. The family headed out to the car and Rossi hit the gas.

Five minutes later, he pulled up into the parking lot and already two nurses were coming out to meet him. Erin was put into a wheelchair and immediately whisked through the ER into Labor and Delivery.

Rossi and Alyse met her in the room. He sat down in a chair next to the bed and set Alyse in her stroller. He then grabbed Erin's hand and prepared for the moment when his newborn daughter would cry her first cry.

Strauss was feeling exhausted, but she ignored the pain. She had done this before and was prepared to do it again.

"One more push and she'll be here," the doctor said.

Erin used her last amount of energy to give the final push, but it was enough. Not three seconds later, a baby was heard crying. Erin felt like letting a few tears out as well.

The nurse in the room took the little girl and wrapped her up in a pink blanket and took her down the hall for a few tests. Erin hoped that her newborn daughter was alright.

Within a half hour, the nurse came back down the hall with a little bundle. She handed the baby to Erin, who couldn't stop smiling.

"Hi sweetie, you're so beautiful," Erin said. She then handed the little girl to Rossi, who couldn't help but cry as well. He had another little person to love.

"What should we name her?"

"Lauren Elizabeth Rossi," Dave replied. Lauren smiled at the mention of her new name. "I think she likes it."

About twenty minutes later, there was a knock on the doorframe.

"Knock-Knock," JJ said. "Oh my gosh, she's cute!"

The rest of the team-including Garcia and her little boy-filed into the room. They didn't want to let go of Lauren because she was too precious.

* * *

After Chris say Erin and Rossi's newest addition, he said that he was feeling a little tired. Chris saw the team in front of him, then they disappeared from his sight. His eyes closed and he suddenly began to spasm.

"He's having a seizure!" the nurse shouted, running out of the room to get Chris's doctor. Kate was worried that her husband might die if severe complications came up from his near-death gunshot wound. Meg was still having trouble forgiving herself for shooting her own uncle and nearly killing him.

Chris was taken to another room, where he was given some medication to stop his seizure and also had a few tests run. About an hour later, Chris was sleeping peacefully in his hospital bed with Kate sitting in a chair next to him.

"Mrs. Callahan?" the doctor asked. "I have some bad news."

"Oh no…" Kate said. "Is it really bad?"

"I'm afraid so. I'm sorry, but Chris has blood poisoning."


	83. One Down and One More to Go

Beth decided that she didn't want to go to the Czech Republic with her boyfriend and Tia. Will would drop the SSA off in the Czech Republic and then fly back to the States in the private plane. Beth and Will needed to do some more work in the States before they could escape. But their return would lead to their capture shortly after. Will headed back to the house and shortly after he left, the BAU tracked Beth to her current location and arrested her on-sight. Rossi called the DA and asked what her punishment would be. About a half hour later, the judge called back and said that Beth was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole. She would be sent to one of the highest-security prisons in the country. Beth would never get out into the world again. All the BAU needed to do now was find Will and take him down once and for all.

After the vehicles pulled into the BAU parking lot, Hotch got out of one of the cars to see JJ and Morgan holding the handcuffed Beth in a secure grasp. As she was being lead into the first-floor prison-where she would stay until a room at the highest security prison was available-she passed by Hotch and smiled. Emily gave her a dirty look that said, You better stay away from my husband or you will face my wrath.

One down and one more to go, the team though. At least Will won't be able to get Beth out without getting himself caught.

* * *

Will was at the house, awaiting a call from Beth, but she never showed up. He dialed her cell phone, but he also didn't get an answer.

Until he called back a second time and then heard her voice.

"Will?" she asked.

"Beth, where are you?"

"It's over, Will," Rossi's voice replied. "Beth is now in our custody and you won't be able to break her out."

"WHERE IS BETH?" Will snapped, angry that the FBI had arrested her.

"Going to a place where she is never going to be able to escape. You're never going to see her again."

Rossi ended the call and Will threw his phone onto the floor. It smashed into pieces like a vase breaking and making a small dent in the hardwood floor. He began devising a quick plan in his head. It was time to execute every BAU member and there was no turning back.

* * *

In the Czech Republic, Tia managed to escape her prison and ran out onto the busy streets of Prague. She found a phone and dialed the first Interpol number that came to her mind. Fifteen minutes later, an agent picked her up and drove her to the US Embassy in France. While there, she called the BAU to say she was on a flight back to Quantico and that an Interpol agent had rescued her. Tia was looking forward to going back to the BAU and finding Will. It was time for him and his mission to be done permanently.

* * *

A seven-month pregnant Alex was starting to get tired a lot more at work because her due date was just over two months away. She found out that she was having a son, but she also had a wonderful girlfriend that she was in love with. Kevin was loving his job as the Technical Analyst, but he knew that Garcia was a lot better than he was. She was coming back in a few months after she could get someone to look after Andy full-time while she and Derek went to work.

Rossi had invited the team over to his mansion for dinner, since the case was almost closed. The CIA and NSA would be keeping an eye out for Will overnight until the BAU returned to work the next morning. Alex asked if she could bring a friend to dinner since she had an important announcement to make. Rossi told the SSA that she could, but not more than one.

The team showed up at the mansion around seven-thirty and walked in to the smell of fresh-made pizza. They all took their seats at the giant table, which could fit up to forty people once the three leaves were put in.

Alyse was down sleeping for the night upstairs and Lauren was in the living room in her playpen, fast asleep. She didn't even stir when the team started filing into the house.

Just as everyone was about to dig into the food, Lauren awoke and started crying. Erin picked up her daughter and carried her down the hall to feed her. Ten minutes later, Strauss came back.

"She's out like a light," she said, sitting down at the table and grabbing a slice of Hawaiian pizza.

"Reid and I have some news," JJ said. The team all turned to face them. "We're expecting our second child."

A round of applause came soon after.

"I got news as well," Alex replied. "You remember Kari Ryan?"

"Yes," the team all said.

"Well, we're dating. We've been going out for about three months now. And I found out I'm having a boy."

There was more applause heard.

"Have you come up with a name for him?" Emily asked.

"I'm not sure yet, but I'm thinking about either naming him Patrick or Grant Junior."

Jessica-having also been invited to the dinner-seemed to pale a little bit. Joyner saw a couple tears fall from her wife's eyes.

"Are you ok?" JJ questioned, putting a hand on Jessica's shoulder.

"It's just that I haven't heard that name spoken for a while. I'm still trying to cope with his death, but it's been hard. Every day, I wake up and have to tell myself that he's really gone," Jessica answered.

The rest of the team shared a moment of silence to remember their fallen team member.

"I would like to take some time to remember another wonderful team member: Elle," Gideon said. "She gave her life to help find Max and save our lives. Elle, my love, you will always be in our hearts and will never be forgotten."

As a moment of silence took place, Gideon opened his eyes and saw Elle standing in front of him on the other side of the table. She smiled that beautiful smile he always would love and walked around the table over to him. She looked nothing like she did after she was paralyzed. She looked so healthy and young.

Elle put a hand on his cheek and smiled again.

"I'm happy for you," she said. "I'm glad that you have found someone again."

He put a hand on her cheek. "I always will love you, Elle."

"I will always love you too, Jason," she replied. Her image soon faded away and he was back looking at the rest of his teammates.

Once the rest of the team came back to the present, Kevin reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He handed it to Andi and took her hand.

Andi used her free hand to open the box and gasped once she saw the ring.

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed.

"Andi Swann, will you be my wife?" Kevin asked.


	84. Getting Justice

Andi's breathing was starting to pick up. She didn't want to be panicking in front of all of her co-workers and friends. She just wasn't expecting Kevin to propose.

He was looking at her a little concerned. He was still waiting for her to answer.

"Yes, Kevin, I will!" Andi said. Kevin put the ring on her finger and they kissed while the rest of the team applauded for them, dinner forgotten about for a minute.

* * *

After dinner, Kate immediately headed to the hospital to see how Chris was doing. So far, he was in a medically-induced coma to help his body recover from the blood poisoning due to his near-death gunshot wound. The doctors had started him on antibiotics through an IV line to help kill off the infection.

Kate sat down by his bedside, hoping that he would come out of his coma. The doctor entered the room a few minutes with his clipboard in hand.

"Mrs. Callahan?" the doctor asked. "I have some good news. The antibiotics are working and his infection is going away quickly. He should be coming out of his coma soon."

Just then, Chris opened his eyes and turned his head to see Kate holding his hand and smiling at him.

"Hi Beautiful," he said.

"Chris!" she replied. "I thought I had lost you forever."

"I'm a fighter, Kate. I would never let you down. I also wouldn't leave you, Meg, and our baby behind."

"Our baby."

Kate and Chris had tried to have a baby for years, but every time they tried, the tests came back negative. After her paralysis, the doctors told her that if she was able to regain movement, she would not be able to carry a full-term pregnancy.

Kate was just glad that her husband was alive and that an infection was not going to take his life away.

* * *

The next day, the BAU was back at work trying to locate Will. It was time for him to pay for everything he had done to them and for taking the lives of Anderson and Elle, paralyzing Callahan, nearly causing Hotch and Emily to divorce, and threatening the lives of pretty much everyone on the team. They wanted revenge. And they were not going down without a fight.

The CIA called Rossi to say that they had a possible location on Will. And it was only twenty minutes away from the BAU. The team loaded up on weapons and SWAT members and headed off to the parking lot. The war between the FBI and unsubs was coming to a close and would soon be over.

* * *

Gina was in the doctor's office prepared to receive the results of her chemo and radiation treatment. She hoped that this monster was almost gone or gone already.

"Ms. Sharp," the doctor said. "I have some good news."

"You do?" she responded.

"Yes. Your cancer is almost all gone. We probably will want to do a few more rounds of chemo and then will finish off with a couple rounds of radiation. You're going to be a cancer survivor."

Gina felt relieved to hear that her cancer was almost gone. She just wanted to live a normal and healthy life again instead of fighting a monster.

* * *

The BAU and SWAT had reached the location the CIA told them about. They got out of the vehicles and pointed their guns straight in front of them, prepared to shoot Will on-sight. Hopefully, it would be an easy task.

But they were wrong.

As the team entered the house, Hotch and Emily branched off to another part while the others continued on to search the basement and second story.

Hotch and Emily found a bedroom which looked like someone was here recently. Emily took the bathroom and Hotch took the bedroom. Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind and a gun was placed to his head. His own weapon had fallen to the floor.

"Emily…" he said. His wife entered the room and gasped in horror.

Will had Hotch in a headlock and didn't look like he was going to let him go.

"This is Agent Prentiss-Hotchner requesting backup! Agent in trouble!" Emily shouted into her walkie-talkie.

"Even better," Will said. "Bring them all here. But you're never getting him back."

The rest of the BAU and SWAT entered the room, guns still pointed in front of them.

"Will, let him go," JJ said. "This is your endgame. It's over. Beth is in prison, as well as James Blake and Clara Hayes, but everyone else is dead. You have one way out of this. Let Agent Hotchner go, and you can walk away without dying in a hail of gunfire. If you don't, then we're just going to kill you in a minute or so. Your choice."

Hotch then jammed his elbow into Will's gut, causing the unsub to fall to the ground.

"I want to do it," the Unit Chief said. He took his gun and shot Will in the knee. The unsub screamed in pain.

Gideon then came up to the unsub and shot him in the gut. "That's for Elle. You murdered her, and now you're going to die a slow and painful death."

"I got a better idea."

Hotch took his gun and shot Will in the heart. He was dead instantly.

"You can now rot away for everything you've done," Hotch said. "You will never come near us or our families again."

The team embraced, happy that their lives could finally go back to normal.

* * *

The team headed back to Rossi's house to celebrate the closing of the case. There was a lot of food and music. But Emily, Garcia, and JJ decided to have some fun with the music.

Garcia hacked into Rossi's Itunes account and bought the song "Sexyback." The women then downloaded the song to Itunes and added it to his playlist. Oh, this was going to be super fun when Rossi found out who hacked his account.

"Alright, Garcia, hit the music!" Emily said. The TA obeyed and then the song started playing. Every woman in the room recognized the song and burst out laughing.

_I'm bringing sexy back_

_Them other boys do no how to act_

_I think it's special, what's behind your back_

_So turn around and I'll pick up the slack_

_Dirty babe_

_You see these shackles, baby_

_I'm your slave_

_I'll let you whip me if I misbehave_

_It's just that no one makes me feel this way…_

"Oh my gosh, who bought that song?!" Rossi demanded.

Emily, JJ, and Garcia couldn't stop laughing. Then Hotch started getting really into the song.

"Oh my…" Emily exclaimed. Hotch stood in the middle of everyone and threw off his tie and suit jacket.

Then, the girls started applauding. Emily was having a hard time containing herself.

"'Come here, girl,'" Hotch said, pointing to his wife. "'Come to the back. VIP, drinks on me.'"

She then joined in singing. Everyone else was either laughing because the sight in front of them was too funny or they were singing along.

Rossi then invited Erin to join him for a dance. He couldn't help but smile.

Their lives were back to normal once again.


	85. Epilogue Two: Hollywood, California

**AN: Thanks to Jenny Crum for being my 200th reviewer! Thank you everyone for reviewing, favoriting, and following this story; this one has been really fun to write. This chapter is going to be an epilogue that ends the first sequel, which began at Chapter 42. This epilogue will also introduce someone that will a main character starting in my second sequel, which will start in Chapter 86 and go to the FINAL chapter of the story, Chapter 95. Chapter 95 will also be an epilogue that takes place five years after Chapter 94 ends. Anyway, enough notes from me. This takes place one year later-after the death of Will LaMontagne...**

* * *

Rossi was the first person to get out of the car at Stafford Regional Airport in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He and the entire BAU team were given three weeks of hard-earned vacation time after finally eliminating Will LaMontagne once and for all. Other teams and a temporary Section Chief would take over their positions while they went on vacation. This airport was where the FBI kept the private planes for traveling to other states.

Rossi headed to the other side of the car and opened the door so that Erin could get out. She stepped onto the parking lot ground and helped her husband lift their three suitcases out of the trunk. Then she headed over to the backseat of the car and pulled out the sling she would use to carry Lauren. She had just turned one a couple of months ago. Alyse was now over two years old, so she was big enough to sit in the stroller.

"Sweetheart, wake up, we're here," Erin said to her oldest daughter. Alyse had fallen asleep on the car ride to the airport, excited that she was going on summer vacation. But she was very comfortable in her car seat and didn't want to get out of the car.

"No wanna get out!" Alyse complained. "I wanna stay!"

"Well, do you want to go to daycare for three weeks while Mommy, Daddy, and Lauren go on vacation? I know you don't like it there. But that's your option, or you come with us."

"Ok mommy," the girl said. "I want to come."

Erin took her out of the car and put her in the stroller. Rossi took Lauren and gave her to Erin, who put her in the sling. Once everyone was out of the car, Rossi locked it and he and Erin started putting the suitcases on carts that said "Welcome to Fredericksburg" on them. These carts allowed you to put all your luggage on them so you would only have to push one thing instead of multiple suitcases. The Rossi family waited by the front entrance to the 'Los Angeles' entrance section of the airport. Three minutes later, Hotch and Emily arrived with Jack and Cynthia. She was growing every day and was starting to look more like her mother. Within twenty minutes, everyone else arrived and were heading towards the 'Ticket/Check-In' area of the airport.

JJ and Reid were carrying Henry and their seven-month-old daughter Alicia Marie. Alicia had her father's eyes and hair color while she had her mother's lighter skin tone and hair thickness. Morgan was pushing a luggage cart while Garcia was making sure Andy was secure in his sling. She was resting him on top of her pregnant belly and pushing the carry-on. Seaver was pushing Stephen and Phoebe in the double stroller and wearing a carry-on backpack while Gideon was dragging two large suitcases behind him. Jessica and Joyner arrived with Matthew and their suitcases. Joyner had a small baby bump starting to show. Alex and her wife Kari arrived with Kari's two daughters and Alex's son Patrick. Alex and Kari had gotten married just over five months ago. Kate and Chris were dragging two large suitcases behind them and Meg was pulling the carry-on. Kate had their daughter Catherine Anna in a sling. Seaver had been an excellent surrogate mother and Kate and Chris couldn't stop thanking her. And lastly, Kevin and Andi had just returned home from their honeymoon a month-and-a-half ago and were looking forward to travel once again.

"Is everyone here?" Rossi asked the large group of people.

"Yep," Hotch said. "I counted. Everyone's here."

"Good."

Rossi signaled for everyone to follow him into the line to get their bags weighed. This took twenty minutes, and already the little ones were getting bored.

"We have to wait, Phoebe," Seaver said to her stepdaughter. "We can't make this go any faster."

"But I wanna go flying!" the little girl replied.

"We are still going to do that. We just have a few more things that we have to do. I promise you that we will still go in the plane."

Phoebe calmed down and soon began to doze off, completely bored and tired of waiting.

After all the bags were collected-excluding the carry-ons-the team headed upstairs to security, where Phoebe and Stephen were looking a little concerned.

"Please remove all shoes, jackets, belts, jewelry-excluding wedding rings and bands-and carry-ons," the TSA agent said. "Please also have your passports and driver's license ready to be looked at."

"Mommy," Phoebe said. "Why do we take off all the stuff the lady said we had take off?"

"Because they're looking to make sure we don't have anything dangerous," Seaver replied.

"Next person in line," another TSA agent said. Hotch walked up to the agent and showed her his passport, FBI credentials, and driver's license.

"FBI?" the agent asked. "Did you unloaded your weapon and lock it in a container?"

"Yes Ma'am," Hotch replied.

"Are you traveling alone?"

"No, this is my wife and children, and the rest of them are my co-workers and boss."

"Ok, you are free to come through."

Hotch took off his shoes, suit jacket, belt, and his carry-on. Since the private planes were not big enough to hold the entire group, they were going to have to take a regular-sized 707 jet.

The alarm on the scanner went off and two TSA agents came over to Hotch.

"Sir, you are bringing a gun onto a commercial jet," one of them said. "You're going to need to come with us."

"Wait," Hotch replied. He reached into the container that had already come through the scanner and pulled out his FBI credentials and showed them to the agents.

"FBI? Oh, we're sorry, Sir," the agents said.

"The rest of us-excluding the children-are all FBI."

"Ok, have a nice flight."

The agents were completely embarrassed. They quickly ran off to their office and didn't look behind them.

The rest of the team got through security with no problems. They headed over to the gate and waited to get on the plane.

Phoebe, Jack, and Stephen decided that they were going to fool around on the moving sidewalk. Hotch noticed that the children were going off without telling the adults, so he went after them.

"Jack Hotchner, Phoebe and Stephen Gideon, get off now," Hotch scolded. "If you want to go on the moving sidewalk, you need to tell one of us."

"Sorry Dad," Jack said. He and Gideon's two children got off the sidewalk and headed back to the gate, where people were starting to board the plane.

"Hotchner, party of four," the woman behind the gate said. He and his family grabbed their boarding passes and began to line up behind the other passengers. His co-workers were soon called up to get their passes and it turned out that the entire FBI team were sitting near each other. They were feeling so happy knowing that the unsub trying to hurt them was finally dead and the BAU could finally go back to having normal lives again.

The team began to take their seats, but Jack, Stephen and Phoebe had too much energy.

"Jack Hotchner," Aaron said. "During the flight, I expect you to sit down in your seat and behave yourself. You can listen to music and watch TV; I don't really care what you do. But if I hear you talking loudly or disrupting others, then you and I will be having a serious conversation and you're not going to like it."

Jack flushed red and sat down next to his parents. Gideon told Phoebe and Stephen a similar message as Hotch did with Jack.

The BAU was going to Los Angeles because they had signed up to be on a game show. The entire team managed to get tickets for the same day. Joyner and Jessica would be taking care of anyone who was under the age of 18.

The pilot announced that the flight was going to be between five-and-a-half to six hours long. The little ones heard the announcement and were looking bored because they didn't want to be in one space for too long. The adults hadn't even told the children where they were going on vacation.

Within fifteen minutes, the plane-carrying 175 passengers, including five flight attendants and the co-pilot and pilot-had finished taxiing and was now out on the runway, preparing to take off.

"Jack, not yet," Emily said to her stepson. The boy was trying to pull out his IPod and listen to his music on Spotify. "We have to wait until we're at 10,000 feet in the air."

Jack put the device back in his carry-on bag and prepared for takeoff.

The engines fired up and the plane began to move down the runway very quickly and was soon in the air. It only took the plane a few minutes to reach 10,000 feet, where the pilot announced that it was fine to use electronic devices on airplane mode, or on Wifi if you paid for it.

Kate decided that she was going to play Sudoku since she was really good at the game. She had brought a little book with a hundred different puzzles in it. Also, on the backs of everyone's seats, there were individual screens so that every person could do whatever they wanted throughout the flight. Chris pulled out his neck pillow and decided to take a nap since he didn't get much sleep the night before. Catherine had fallen asleep in her father's lap.

Rossi decided to pull out his IPad and open his Kindle app and read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Erin put in a pair of headphones and listened to Michael Jackson. Alyse was watching Blue's Clues on the seatback screen. Lauren was taking a nap on her mother's chest.

Hotch and Emily decided to watch Iron Man 3. Jack pulled out his IPod and began to listen to his own music. Morgan pulled out his IPad and began playing Angry Birds. Garcia was playing Minecraft on her laptop. Andy was still in the sling sleeping. JJ and Reid had both fallen asleep, as did Henry and Alicia. The other team members either slept, watched a movie or TV shows, played a game, or ate a snack.

* * *

Jack must have fallen asleep because when he woke up, he saw that the cabin lights were on and the plane was moving really slow.

"Dad, what's going on?" he asked.

"We landed, son," Hotch replied. "We're here."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Why is really light outside?"

"Because we are not in Quantico anymore. It was eight in the morning when we took off. It's now two in the afternoon, but since we're in Los Angeles, we are now three hours behind time-wise. You're actually going to get some extra time to sleep and do what we want."

Since the game show taping wasn't until the next day, the team decided to go back to the hotel and relax. But they first had to take a really big limo to get to Hollywood and then get to their hotel. The team was spending three weeks in Los Angeles and other cities in California just enjoying their time away from the BAU and unsubs.

* * *

After an hour of driving in a limo and doing some sightseeing from the windows, the team arrived at their hotel. The rooms were all on the same floor and near each other. In one room would be Hotch, Emily, and their children, in another would be Rossi, Strauss, and their two girls. Every individual family would get one room.

"Who's up for swimming?" Joyner asked.

Every BAU member raised their hands. They needed to stretch their muscles since they had been sitting for six hours straight and it got uncomfortable.

Fifteen minutes later, the team were in their bathing suits and heading downstairs to the hotel's large indoor pool.

"Oops, I did it again," Emily said, pushing Hotch into the pool. He belly-flopped in, and the team couldn't stop laughing. Once Aaron came up out of the water, he smirked at his wife.

"It's so on, Mrs. Hotchner!" he replied.

"Oh really?"

Without paying attention to her surroundings, Emily was suddenly pushed in by someone. She came back up and saw that Rossi was not able to contain himself.

"I'm going to get you!" Emily said teasingly.

For the next two hours, the team kept pushing each other into the pool and getting revenge or just swimming laps from one end of the pool to the other. They had so much fun and didn't want to go home to Quantico.

They were also looking forward to going to the game show taping-The Price is Right. Emily had watched the show when she was little and had a dream of going on the show when she got old enough-until she learned that the show taped across the country.

* * *

It was seven in the morning, and already the BAU was feeling the effects of jet lag. They were tired, but they were looking forward to be on The Price is Right. Maybe they would win a new car or earn some money. Maybe they'd even get a trip to someplace outside North America. They got dressed in their team t-shirts. The individual families were playing against each other, but it was still going to be fun.

Joyner and Jessica unlocked their door to let the younger family members come in. JJ brought over Henry and Alicia, while Meg brought over herself and Catherine. Soon, Meg, Catherine, Jack, Henry, Alyse, Andy, Alicia, Lauren, Cynthia, Phoebe, Patrick, Kari's two daughters-Sara and Melinda-and Stephen were all together in one room and were going to have a fun day while their parents went away to the studio where the episode would tape.

* * *

At nine-thirty, the team arrived at the taping studio. They were excited to be on TV for something other than giving a press report to the news stations.

Hotch and the team found their seats, which were all fairly close to each other. They were going to have to wait a half hour before the TV cameras would start rolling. The team was anticipating the moment when the announcer would say who would be going down to 'Contestant's Row', the first part of the game.

At ten o'clock on the nose, the audience started screaming and waving to the cameras. The team soon joined in. The announcer-George Grey-was about to announce the first four people in the audience who would be going to play 'Contestant's Row'.

"Live from the CBS Studios in Hollywood, it's The Price is Right! Emily Hotchner, come on down!" George shouted into the microphone.

Emily couldn't believe her name was called. She stood up in her chair and shouted, jumping around excitedly.

As she headed down to the very front row of the studio before the stage, she heard three other names being called, none of which she knew.

The host of the show-Drew Carey-stepped on the stage with his microphone and little card in hand.

After a moment of introduction, the first prize came down from a platform on a ceiling-an oval cut sapphire necklace with diamonds and 14k white gold.

"Emily, what do you bid?" Drew asked.

"1,900," she replied. The other contestants bid their prices.

"Actual retail price is...1,990."

Emily's screen began flashing, saying that she had bid the closest to the actual price of the necklace.

"Emily!" Drew said. "You won!"

She screamed and put her hands in the air, incredibly happy at her victory. Hotch stood up and blew her a kiss.

"Emily, welcome to the show. Where are you from?"

"From beautiful Quantico, Virginia!" she said.

The curtains opened behind another door on the stage to reveal a large screen with a picture of a tropical beach in the background.

"How about a trip to Fiji!" George shouted.

Emily dropped to the floor from sheer excitement. The audience was going wild.

George explained what the trip package contained, and Emily was going even more crazy. She and Hotch would be able to go away for a milestone anniversary or just a relaxing trip away from the BAU.

Drew explained the game "Flip Flop" to her. The price of the trip was either 9565 dollars, 5965, 9556, or 5956. She had to flip the two tiles containing the correct price of the trip and she'd be a winner. She'd get to wear the beautiful necklace she's already won on the trip.

The audience began to shout out their choice of what price they thought the trip was. Emily decided on 9556 dollars.

"Is she right?" Drew asked.

The buzzer began dinging, saying that she was a winner.

"Emily, you're going to Fiji!" he said.

She started crying happy tears and screamed with excitement. After the round was over, she headed back to her seat and hugged Hotch.

"You and I are going on that trip sometime," she said. "Maybe on our tenth anniversary? I guess it depends on when the plane tickets expire."

For the next hour, the BAU team had a really great time at the studio. Emily was called back from the audience to compete in the "Big Wheel" competition to see who was going to the final round of the game about a half hour after she sat down. Emily saw that JJ was up at the Wheel too. The blond had won a new IPhone 6 Plus with a one-year calling plan with data on 'Contestant's Row' and a new Hyundai worth $26,510 playing the game of "Cover Up".

Emily and JJ were close to going to the final round-the Showcase Showdown-but Emily beat her best friend by five cents and ended up getting the '1 dollar' spot. This spot automatically earned her a place at the Showdown, along with 1,000 dollars. If she landed in the '15, 1.00, or 5' spots on the wheel, she would earn lots of money. Landing on the 15 or 5 would earn her 10,000 dollars. Landing on the 1.00-however-would get her 25,000 dollars. Emily breathed a couple of times to not make herself panic, then spun the wheel. She suddenly realized that she had landed on the 1 dollar space. With that extra 1,000 dollars, she now had a total of $26,000.

Throughout the second half of the taping, Morgan, Kate, and Rossi were all called down to Contestant's Row. Morgan won a set of his and hers perfumes from various designers-something that would take him a while to afford-and then won a trip to Paris in the game "One Right Price". Rossi got a new laptop and printer, but he did not win a new car in the game "Lucky Seven". Kate did not win anything, but she felt pretty good about getting called on The Price is Right, one of the most popular game shows in the US.

But it all came down to the Showcase Showdown. Emily was given three great prizes-a new hi-def camera, a trip to Sydney, Australia, and a red Fiat 500. She bid a price of 23,000 dollars.

After Drew announced that her competitor had bid over his showcase, Emily was feeling pretty confident. She was only five thousand dollars off on her bid. She had won the Price is Right.

She ran over to her brand new car and held up a license plate that said:

I'M A WINNER ON THE PRICE IS RIGHT.

She waved to the audience and then Hotch came onto the stage, pulling his wife into a hug and kissing her.

She was so excited about winning her prizes. She counted them carefully to make sure she wasn't missing one…

A sapphire necklace, a trip to Fiji, 26,000 dollars at the Big Wheel, a high-definition camera, a trip to Australia, and a Fiat 500. Today was one of the best days of her life and she was never going to forget it. She would always treasure this day in her mind.

* * *

As the team filed out of the taping studio and out to their designated rental cars, a lone figure held up their Nikon camera and snapped a few pictures. They grinned as they watched the happy and excited team enjoy their vacation.

"You will suffer for what you've done to my father," they said. "I'll make sure you feel everything that he did before you all die. You'll die before my very eyes."

They pulled out their phone and dialed a number.

"Yes?" the other person asked.

"Sir, I got them. They are in LA. I will make sure they pay for what they've done. No good deed goes unpunished. An eye for an eye. They're going to go from the frying pan into the fire."


	86. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior

It had been two months since the team arrived home from their summer vacation to Los Angeles. Emily and Hotch were going on the trip to Fiji next month for two weeks. She wore her sapphire necklace almost every day and she was saving the 26,000 dollars she earned for something special. She'd definitely take a little bit of the money with her to Fiji and Sydney. But after they got back from vacation, Strauss discovered a threatening typewritten note from someone who was only known as 'The Unsub'. She was frightened that Will might still be alive, but she had been assured that he was dead. He had been shot through the heart, so there was no way he would be able to come back to life. A new case had been opened to try and figure out who had sent the letter. Strauss said to her team that another team from San Francisco was arriving to help out with the case. Hotch and Emily, however, were slightly distracted. He asked her to come to his office to look at the case file.

She closed and locked the door. He shut the blinds and sat down in his chair.

They discussed the case and compared it to Will's case. For some reason, Emily was getting a gut feeling that the two cases were related. But since they had some time before the other team got to the BAU, Emily wanted to take Hotch's mind off the stress of the day.

"Sometimes I forget about how intelligent you really are," Emily said.

"Really? You think so?" Hotch asked.

"Yes. You're one of the most smartest men I've ever met."

"One of them?"

"Reid tops them all," Emily teased. She then walked over to the door and leaned her back against it. "Change of subject."

"Oh really? What's on your mind?"

She paused for a moment. "Take off that suit and tie. It's getting really hot in here."

Hotch smiled. "Really? Now?"

"You got a problem with that, Sir?"

"Nope, I don't have a problem. This will be a first. Never done this at work before."

"A first? Really?"

He nodded, then walked over to her.

* * *

About twenty minutes later, Morgan knocked on the door. "Hotch, Strauss invited the team out for lunch. We're going to meet the San Fran team."

"One minute!" Hotch cried out.

Morgan looked very surprised and wondered why Hotch sounded so worried.

The door opened and Morgan heard Nelly's "Hot in Herre" playing and saw a slightly-out-of-breath Hotch. Emily had just finished buttoning the top button of her collared shirt.

"Hello Morgan," Hotch said.

He looked a little embarrassed. "Hello Hotch. Hello Emily."

"Hi," she replied. Then she turned to her husband. "Tonight. We're doing this again."

"Alright."

"I'll see you at the restaurant."

She kissed him, then walked out of his office and down the hall.

Morgan smiled at his boss. "Oh my gosh! At work!"

"Hey, that was only the first time. That's my wife; now drop it. It was fun. And nobody even walked past the office," Hotch said. "Alright, I'm starving."

The two profilers walked out to the bullpen, where Garcia was whispering something into Emily's ear. Morgan could read lips; a skill he learned in college. He realized that Garcia was asking Emily what she had done in Hotch's office.

The team headed out to a pizza restaurant, where the San Fran team was already waiting outside for them. The boss-Sam Cooper-introduced the other people: Beth Griffin, Johnathan "Prophet" Simms, Mick Rawson, and Gina LaSalle.

* * *

About a half hour later, both teams were eating their lunch, but something was not going right with Emily. As she continued to eat her pizza, she bit into something that wasn't dough.

"What's up, Em?" Hotch asked.

She pulled a piece of paper that had somehow survived a half-hour in a hot oven. The paper-laminated-said:

YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

Then she began to cough violently and was struggling to breathe.

"Em!" Hotch said, running over to his wife. She was still struggling to take a good breath. "Someone call 911!"

Twenty minutes later, Emily was at the hospital, hooked up to a hospital bed. She had been able to breathe on her own once she got some fresh oxygen. Tests had been done and Hotch was horrified to discover that his wife's pizza had been laced with non-fatal drugs.

He saw her open her eyes and immediately ran over to her. He put his hand in hers.

"Emily, you scared me for a minute," he said.

But she pulled her hand away and looked at him in confusion.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Do I know you?"

"Emily, it's me, Hotch. Your husband."

"I don't have a husband," she replied. "And who am I? Why am I in here?"

Hotch paled. He immediately shouted for a doctor to get into the room.

The doctor took one look at Emily and immediately realized what was wrong.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hotchner, but it appears that Emily has amnesia."

In another room of the hospital, Garcia had just finished having her six-month scan.

"Would you like to know the sex of the baby?" the nurse asked.

"Yes, please," Garcia said.

"No," Morgan replied. He stood up and headed out of the room and closed the door behind him. The nurse told Garcia the gender and she felt like crying.

* * *

Johnathan Simms was heading out to the parking lot to go to his hotel room for the evening. The day had been a long one and he wanted to get a good night's rest before he had to return to the BAU in the morning. But he didn't realize that he wouldn't even be getting home that night.

Just as he was about to open his car door, someone came up behind him and clamped a cloth over his mouth. Simms tried to fight off his attacker, but it was no use. The chloroform took effect within seconds and the profiler was unconscious.

The kidnapper-a tall man with a ski mask over his face-took out a cell phone and dialed someone.

"Sir, it's me. I got the FBI agent you asked for. You asked for Agent Hotchner, and I did get you exactly what you asked for," the man said.

He restrained Simms and took him over to another car outside the parking lot. Simms was put into the trunk and the man got into the driver's seat.

* * *

About a half hour later, the man pulled into the parking lot of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. He opened the trunk and took the still-unconscious Simms and dragged over to the warehouse. Inside, a tall African-American man was standing with about forty other people surrounding.

"Sir, I brought you Agent Hotchner," the kidnapper said.

But the African-American man-the boss-did not look impressed.

"You idiot!" the boss replied. "That is not Agent Hotchner! He doesn't even look like him. But anyway, that doesn't matter. I still have something in mind. Take the hostage to one of the surgical rooms and prep him."


	87. Person of Interest

**"You'll never find us, but if your number's up, we'll find you."-From the Person of Interest opening sequence.**

* * *

In an abandoned underground subway train/station, a man with short brown hair and glasses was focusing on his computer screen. He was the same man who had been watching Tia Canning being dragged through the airport and out to the private planes through the security cameras. He had sent his partner and husband-John Reese-to the airport to hopefully get Tia, but he had been too late.

"Mr. Reese, good timing," the man said, greeting his husband. "We have a new number."

"At this time of the day?"

"Yes. Our new number is Jonathan Simms, San Francisco BAU agent. He was abducted from the Quantico Behavioral Analysis Unit's parking lot last night. His co-workers don't know he's missing yet, but they will soon when they arrive at work."

"Finch, if you said that they're from San Francisco, why are they in Quantico?"

"Well, it appears that this team is needed to assist on a case that seems to be connected to Will LaMontagne."

"The serial killer who went after a bunch of FBI agents?"

"Yes. Somehow, the two BAU teams believe the cases are connected. We're going to Quantico in two hours."

* * *

About five hours later-in the abandoned warehouse-Simms was just starting to regain consciousness. Someone had kept coming in and giving him doses of chloroform to keep him knocked out. He moved his head from side to side and discovered that he had been restrained to a chair. There was a tray of tools nearby and Johnathan began to freak out.

"Relax," someone said. Prophet looked over to the left and saw an African-American man walking towards him. "We're not here to hurt you."

"Who are you? Where am I?"

"My name is Dominic," the African-American man replied. "I have something in mind for you."

"Like what?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you that information. But I do have something else."

He turned towards the doorway. "Bring him in!"

Prophet gasped in horror when he saw several people having trouble restraining a tall man in a suit.

"Stop fighting us!" one of the men said to the person in the suit.

"Hello, John," Dominic said to the man in the suit. "It wasn't easy to get you here. But now you are."

"What do you want with me?" Reese asked.

"I can't tell you that either. Take him over to the other agent."

Reese was dragged over to a chair and restrained with his hands bound behind him. He kept feeling for his wedding band but found that it was missing.

"You looking for this?" Dominic taunted, holding up the gold band. "My, it's a nice one. Who gave it to you? We'll send whoever they are a message."

Reese just glared at him.

"I don't like it when you don't respond. Link, find out who he's married to and then we'll send this back to his spouse."

The other man did some research and found what he was looking for.

"His spouse is currently at the BAU Headquarters in Quantico," Link said.

"Excellent," Dominic replied. "Go drive over there and drop the band off. Let's see what happens."

* * *

The BAU and San Fran teams were hard at work trying to figure out where Prophet was. When they arrived at work that morning, they found Simms's car in the parking lot and discovered that it hadn't been moved all night. Finch was hired as a consultant for the case and was able to use the security cameras to help out. Something was troubling him. He couldn't see Reese or find him. Where exactly was he?

"Agent Hotchner, there's a piece of jewelry that was dropped off by an African-American man. The agents at the front entrance weren't able to catch his name. The jewelry is a gold wedding band with the words, 'Forever, my love' engraved on the inside in silver," the desk receptionist said. "The man said the wedding band was for someone named Harold Finch."

The man with short hair and glasses looked up from his computer and paled. Something was seriously wrong.

Then his cell phone rang. Harold immediately answered the call.

"Mr. Reese, honey, are you ok?" he asked.

"Mr. Reese," Dominic said. "I knew his last name wasn't Riley."

"Where is he? Where is John?" Finch snapped. Garcia held up a finger and signaled for him to continue talking so that she could work on a trace.

"Right here beside me. As long as you stop hunting me and my gang, then your husband gets to live. As for the other agent, well, I'm not so sure how much longer he has."

"Where is my agent?" Cooper asked. "I want proof that he's alive. Let me talk to him."

"Alright, I think I can make an exception."

The phone was moved to someone's ear.

"Prophet! Are you alright?"

"Sam…" the agent muttered. "Sam…"

"What did you do to him?"

"I did nothing. Expect another call tomorrow."

The line went dead and Garcia looked a bit disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Boss-man, but whoever the unsub is didn't stay on the line for very long. I couldn't get a trace," she said.

Finch was already planning to get revenge on whoever had kidnapped his husband. Sam Cooper wanted to find out who this unsub was and why the case appeared to be similar to Will LaMontagne's case.

"Finch, we'll get your husband back and we'll make whoever took him pay for what they did," Hotch said to the consultant.

* * *

Prophet began to thrash around in the chair when Dominic walked over to the tools tray and pulled out a syringe filled with a clear liquid.

"No!" the agent cried out. "No, please, I don't want it!"

"Too bad because that was already in my head when you were kidnapped and brought here."

Link gave Prophet a dose of whatever was inside the syringe and the agent went unconscious within seconds. Dominic just smiled because he knew his plan was working and nothing was going to stop him.

* * *

At the Quantico Penitentiary, the lights were flashing and the sirens were blaring. James Blake reached the front door, opened it, and never looked back. He knew that he was finally going to get Alex back and rebuild their lives. He stole some money from one of the guards and made a phone call to Alex's house.

Kari answered the call. "Blake Residence."

"Yes, may I speak to Alex please?" James asked.

"Who is this?"

"Who is this?"

"This is her wife. Who are you?"

"An old friend. Please, I need to talk to her."

Kari handed the phone over to her wife.

"Hello?" Alex asked.

"Hello, Alex, it's been a long time," James said.

"No, it's not possible. You were put in prison for three-hundred years!"

"I'll be coming for you, Alex. Just you wait."


	88. Greer's Revenge

Prophet opened his eyes but had to shut them when a bright light began to shine. His head felt heavy and he found that his arms and legs were still restrained to the chair.

"Uggh," he muttered. "What happened to me?"

He looked around at the surroundings and discovered he was still in the same room as before. He racked his brain to try and remember why he was in this strange place, but he couldn't remember anything.

"Hello Johnathan," Dominic said, entering the room. "Are you feeling ok?"

"Yea, I'm just a little confused. What am I doing here?" Prophet asked. "And who is he?"

The agent pointed to Reese, who was still restrained with rope.

"Oh, him? He's a hostage. You kidnapped him, remember?"

"No…"

"You took a pretty hard bump to the head. I guess you're suffering a bit of amnesia."

Dominic smiled. He had given Prophet an amnesia drug. The drug also caused Prophet's memory to be completely wiped out. The agent would think that he was working for Dominic and not the BAU. Prophet no longer had any memory of his team, his childhood, his family.

* * *

In the basement of an asylum somewhere in New York, a gray-haired man was staring at a large screen. A line with a red triangle was across the screen. The man smiled as he watched about a dozen other people sitting at desks with their own computer screens.

The door opened and a woman with blond hair tied into a bun and a man with dark hair entered the room.

"Mr. Lambert, Ms. Rousseau, good timing. Samaritan has the location of the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Mr. Finch is currently there on a mission to find John Reese. However, I got some questions for Agent Prentiss, who unfortunately is in the hospital. She had a mild case of amnesia, but she's being released today because she's regained her memory. I have a few questions regarding Will LaMontagne's death."

"Will's dead?!" Martine Rousseau exclaimed. "Why was I not informed of this? And when did he die?"

"He died a year ago," the gray-haired man-known as Greer-said, completely ignoring Martine's first question. "And Ms. Prentiss has the answers we needed. However, Ms. Groves has the location of The Machine's location."

"She does?" Jeremy Lambert replied. "We've looked all over the planet. How does she know?"

"The answer is inside her head. You will bring her and Agents Prentiss and Hotchner to me. Hotchner needs to pay for what he's done. He killed our asset; now it's time to do the same."

* * *

Emily felt relieved that she had regained her memory. It was only a temporary thing-thank goodness.

As she exited the hospital, two black government-issued vehicles blocked her path. Martine and Jeremy exited the first vehicle with Greer by their side and about a half-dozen Samaritan agents.

"Ms. Prentiss, it's no use for you to run from us. You're surrounded," Greer said to the brunette.

"Who are you?" Emily asked. She screamed when two Samaritan agents grabbed her by the arms. The third agent put his hand over her mouth.

"Put her in the car," Martine ordered. "She has answers we want."

* * *

Eight hours later, Emily's forehead was dripping with sweat. It had soaked her clothes and she looked about ready to pass out.

"You ready to talk now?" Martine sneered. "Your heart is going to give out pretty soon if you don't tell us what we want?"

"What do you want from me?" Emily snapped.

"Who killed Will? And why is he dead? Ms. Prentiss, I have the next syringe ready if you don't start talking."

"That's Prentiss-Hotchner to you, you psycho. That's right, I'm married. My husband killed Will LaMontagne to give the BAU peace after two years of pain, death, and suffering. We've been living our lives normally for over a year now. And now you sickos have to come in and ruin it!"

"Shut up. Lambert, take her to the other room. Hotchner should be arriving soon."

A few hours previous, Hotch was given a note that said where he could find Prophet, but it had been a trap. Two Samaritan agents-one of which was Jeremy-forced him into a car and took him to the building. He was currently being dragged into the building with no chance of escape.

Martine smiled when she saw Hotch trying to fight off the two agents.

"Strap him to the chair. It's time to begin," she said.

Hotch kicked one of the agents in the face and attempted to knock out the other, but several other agents and Greer entered the room and prevented him from doing so.

"Really, Mr. Hotchner, there's no reason for you to keep fighting us. I have everything I need to find out where Will's body is and you're not going to stop us from getting it," Greer said.

"If I knew where that psychopathic killer' body went after I ended his pathetic life, I would be the first person to know," Hotch snapped.

"And the answer to where his body is...that's inside your brain."

Hotch paled. How could these psychopaths know that info?

"Your pretty little wife told us everything," Martine said.

"She would never," Hotch snapped through clenched teeth.

Then the Unit Chief gasped in horror at the sight of two agents currently holding a struggling Emily. She looked very pale and was dripping with sweat.

"Welcome, Mrs. Hotchner. You've arrived just in time to see us perform brain surgery on your husband. There won't be much damage, but he'll still be able to clothe and feed himself. Although I can't say he'll be as good as he used to be when it comes to shooting a gun," Greer announced.

"I'm sorry," Emily said to her husband. "They made me talk. I was fighting for my life. They gave me truth serum and adrenaline."

Hotch gave Greer his best death glare. The Unit Chief was furious. His wife had been tortured for information and now she was almost clinging to life. Hotch was going to kill Greer and Martine and Lambert for what they had done to Emily.

"Emily doesn't have to see this," Hotch pleaded.

But Jeremy wasn't sympathetic. "Ok then. I can end her first and you can watch."

Emily was using her last bit of energy to try and fight the agents holding her back. She was starting to fall into unconsciousness. She was trying hard to stay awake.

Hotch glared at Lambert. "You lay a hand on my wife and I'll kill you."

"Just sit back and relax," the Samaritan agent said. "Or I'll lay more than just a hand on her."

That comment was enough to send Hotch into a fit of rage. He broke free of the restraints and immediately attacked the others, shooting them non-fatally. Emily dropped to the floor unconscious while Martine and Greer managed to escape without a scratch. Hotch snapped Lambert's neck out of revenge for the torture and pain he inflicted on Emily.

He called for backup and within a few minutes, both BAU teams and the paramedics arrived at the location. Emily was taken to the hospital and Hotch felt relieved to be reunited with his team. Garcia still wasn't having any luck tracing the phone call from yesterday. Prophet and Reese were nowhere to be seen. Finch was starting to crazy worrying about his husband. The teams assured Finch that they would find Reese and bring him back home safely.

Two hours later, Hotch was the only person in Emily's hospital room. The others were out getting food and would bring their boss some back. The two teams were also working on locating Greer and Martine as well as continue the search for Reese and Prophet.

"Mr. Hotchner?" the doctor asked. Hotch stood up and awaited the news.

"Mr. Hotchner, Emily is going to be fine. She's a little weak due to the adrenaline and truth serum, but she's going to make a full recovery."

Hotch breathed a sigh of relief.

"However, we can't give her pain meds because she's eight weeks along."

The Unit Chief was confused. Eight weeks along? What did that mean?

"I'm sorry, I meant to say that Emily is eight weeks pregnant."

Hotch almost passed out. The news hit him hard. He was now becoming more angry and wanted Martine to pay for hurting his wife and now his unborn child. Emily was still sleeping and resting. Hotch would tell her the news when she woke up.

About an hour later, Emily squeezed her husband's hand, which told him that she was waking up. She opened her eyes and saw Hotch sitting by her bedside.

"Hi," he said. He leaned forward and gave her a kiss. "It's good to see you awake."

She looked into his dark brown eyes. "I'm glad to see you too."

"I have some news, Em. The doctor said he can't give you any pain medication."

"Well, I'm going to need some morphine or something because my chest is hurting," she replied.

"He can't, Em. You're eight weeks pregnant."

Emily's eyes widened. She was pregnant. Another little person would be coming into the world. Her family was going to be getting bigger.

"We're expecting?" she asked. She wanted to make sure he wasn't joking.

"Yes. The doctor told me. We're going to have a baby," Hotch said.

She smiled, then kissed her husband. "I love you."

"I love you too. And I'm loving our baby already."

Emily put her hands on her stomach, but was careful not to cause herself too much pain.

"Hi in there, I'm your mommy," she said to her flat stomach. "I can't wait to see you. And your daddy loves you too."

The two teams entered the room.

"We got bad news," Cooper said. "There's a video tape with Prophet in it. We thought you should see it too."

Garcia opened her laptop to the video. Emily gripped Hotch's hand because she was afraid of what she thought might be on the video.

"Agents," a voice said. "I have something of yours."

Prophet had his hands chained above him. But the team noticed that the agent wasn't crying out in pain. Instead, he was looking excited. The team knew something was up.

"If you want your profiler back alive, you will deliver one million dollars in cash in unmarked bills and leave it in a duffel bag across the street from the only bar in Quantico. Leave it beside the fire hydrant. You have 36 hours to get me the money or your agent dies."

The video went dark.


	89. Something's wrong

In the building, Reese was working on getting his rope bonds free. If he could get out, then he'd be able to go to the BAU and tell the agents there what had happened to him.

Just as he was about to continue working on his bonds, two women with dark hair entered the room. They were Sameen Shaw and Samantha 'Root' Groves, two of his and Finch's closest friends and companions. Shaw and Root untied him and handed him an assault rifle. The three of them were about to be heading into trouble because several other agents that worked for Dominic were headed their way. Prophet was one of the agents being sent to kill Root, Shaw, and Reese.

However, the trio managed to get to the back door without being spotted by Dominic's people or Prophet. Reese was going to have to warn Cooper's team that something was seriously wrong with Johnathan.

* * *

The trio pulled up in front of the BAU a half-hour later and Reese headed up to the front desk to ask for a Harold Finch.

"Are you related to Mr. Finch?" the receptionist asked.

"I'm his husband," Reese said.

"Sixth floor."

Reese noticed that she was looking a little weirded out. He figured that she didn't really enjoy talking with LGBT people.

He stepped into the elevator and reached the bullpen. When he stepped inside, he immediately looked for Finch but didn't see him.

Hotch came out of his office to find a man in a suit looking slightly confused.

"May I help you, Sir?" the Unit Chief asked.

"Yes, I'm looking for a Harold Finch. He's my husband."

Aaron paled a little bit. "Are you alright, Sir?"

"Yes, I'm fine. But the other agent isn't. Something's wrong with him."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I was bound to a chair and the agent was in another room. But he's a completely different person now. The people who kidnapped me did something to him."

Finch stepped out of the elevator and almost passed out at the sight of a very-much-alive Reese. John ran over to him and kissed him passionately.

"I...I thought you were dead," Finch said.

"No, I would never let them," Reese replied. "Root and Shaw saved me. They're outside the BAU right now."

Finch hurried outside to talk to the women.

* * *

"Garcia, I need you to do me a favor," Emily said. "It's a funny one."

"My raven-haired beauty, what do you need?" the technical analyst asked.

"I need you to hack into Hotch's phone and change his ringtone."

"Emily Prentiss-Hotchner, what the heck gave you that idea?"

"Oh, I heard this really interesting song on the radio the other day. Luckily Aaron wasn't in the car at the time. But the song was good at talking about my relationship with him."

Garcia laughed. "That's funny. But anyway, I'm ready to do what you say."

The TA hacked into Hotch's phone and arrived on the section with ringtones.

"Only change the ringtone when my name flashes across the screen."

"Ok, what song do you want?"

Emily whispered the song into her best friend's ear and Garcia almost screamed.

"You can't be serious!" Garcia exclaimed. "Hotch is going to kill you when he finds out."

"No he won't. I'm his wife. He will get upset at me sometimes, but we always work out our problems in the end."

Garcia changed the ringtone and Emily was laughing her head off. She sent a text to JJ, Seaver, Blake, Strauss, and Kate about what she had done. The women had a very interesting conversation.

**Emily:** I totally got Garcia to change the ringtone on Hotch's phone. He's going to kill me when he finds out.

**Seaver:** OMG, what song did you suggest to Garcia.

**Emily:** Talk Dirty by Jason Derulo.

**JJ:** XD XD XD XD! OMG that's hilarious!

**Blake:** I've never even heard of that song.

**Kate:** Hahahaha Emily, Hotch is going to be so embarrassed!

**Strauss:** Maybe I'll try the same thing on Dave…

**JJ:** With a different song, right?

**Strauss:** Of course.

Hotch was in the middle of his lunch with Rossi, Gideon, Reid, Kevin, Morgan, Finch, Reese, Cooper, and Mick. The Unit Chief was in for a huge surprise.

His phone started ringing-a normal buzz at first, but then came the music.

_All I really need to understand is when you_

_Talk dirty to me_

Everyone in the room-excluding Hotch-burst out in laughter.

"Nice ringtone, Aaron," Rossi smirked at his best friend. The Unit Chief blushed red and reached for his phone, but Rossi had already picked up the phone and looked at the Caller ID.

"That's even better, it's your wife," Dave said, continuing to smirk.

Hotch was completely embarrassed and put the phone on silent. He then called Emily back.

"Em, what's with the ringtone?" he asked.

"Oh that? I thought you'd enjoy that," she replied.

"What kind of a song is that? Everyone was laughing at me!"

"No, they weren't. They were laughing with you. They probably the song was funny."

They said goodbye and went back to their lunches.

* * *

Garcia and Morgan were exhausted when they got home from work that night. The TA was even more tired considering that she was having to take care of herself and the baby.

"What should we name this little one?" Morgan asked his wife after Andy had been put down for the night.

"For a boy, Dillon Aaron Morgan, and I think if we have a girl, her name should be Marilyn Francine Morgan."

"I love both names," Derek said. "It doesn't matter what the gender is."

"It doesn't matter to me either," Garcia replied. "But you will be surprised when he or she is born."

* * *

**AN: The actor who played Prophet-Michael Kelly-also was on Person of Interest shortly after Suspect Behavior was cancelled. A small reference/mention to Kelly's character on POI is mentioned near the end of the chapter.**

* * *

Greer and Martine had managed to escape to Dominic's warehouse. They were hiding from the BAU until they could actually destroy them and continue Will's mission. But when the two Samaritan agents entered the room, they saw a man wearing a collared shirt and brown pants walking beside Dominic and several other people.

"Agent Snow?" Greer asked. "Is that you?"


	90. George

**AN: We are officially wrapping up this story soon. Only chapters 91-94 to go, plus another epilogue. Will the BAU be able to figure out who these unsubs are and save Prophet and help him regain his memory? And who is this mysterious figure that's been stalking the BAU since their Los Angeles trip? All questions will be answered soon.**

**Also, sorry for not updating. I'm heading back to school soon, and I've been focused on writing my novel, _The Accomplice._**

* * *

Prophet just looked at Greer and Martine in shock. Who exactly was this 'Agent Snow?'

"Agent Snow…" Greer said. "Are you alright?"

"Who are you?" Prophet asked.

"You're Agent Snow. You used to work for the CIA. You were one of my best agents until you died in an explosion. I guess you must have survived it."

"I'm sorry. My name is Johnathan and I work for Dominic."

Greer and Martine continued on without saying another word. Something was seriously different about this 'Johnathan'.

The two Samaritan agents hurried outside, hoping to not be seen by The Machine.

* * *

The Machine was a complex computer system built by Harold Finch and his former partner, Nathan Ingram. However, Ingram died of complications after being injured in a bombing in 2010. Finch was also in the bombing, but he managed to survive. He also faked his death in order to protect his former fiancée Grace Hendricks. She eventually moved to Italy, never knowing that Harold was still alive. He recruited Reese to work for him in 2011, where the two men confessed their love for each other in 2013 and got married a year later.

Finch's Machine was on the side of good. Its enemy, Samaritan, didn't care who lived and died. It was focused on destroying The Machine and its assets.

* * *

Prophet headed back into the main room of the abandoned warehouse and awaited orders from Dominic. Prophet was eager to get back into the field of taking down people that were on the side of bad. However, he thought Dominic and his friends-known as The Brotherhood-were good.

"We're going to do some research on Mr. John Reese and who his husband is," Dominic said. "You will do whatever is necessary to get the info I want."

"And what info do you need, Sir?" Prophet asked.

"I want John and his husband's biographies. I want to know who they work for and why John Riley is an alias."

"Your wish is my command, Sir," the former BAU agent said. "I will get it done."

"Excellent. Once I get their info, maybe I can recruit them by blackmail and extortion. That should be enough to get them to come to me."

The hooded figure-the one that had been stalking the Quantico team in Los Angeles-entered the room.

"Sir, is there anything you need me to do?" the figure asked. He pulled his hood down and combed his hair. Then he pulled the hood back up and made sure it wouldn't fall down.

"Not at the moment, George, but I will let you know when I do have a mission," Dominic said. "Prophet is going to do something for me, and I think after he returns, I might have something."

"It's my mother, Sir. She's got stage two Leukemia and they don't know if she's going to get any better. I need to go to the prison and donate blood since we're the same blood type."

"Ok, George, that's fine. Come back when you're done," Dominic said. "You're an important asset and we don't want to lose you."

George headed out the doors and headed out to his car. He would do anything to save his mother's life. She deserved to be out in the world, but instead she was stuck in prison serving a life-sentence.

* * *

Root and Shaw held hands as they walked into the bullpen. They approached Finch and Root said, "Harold, we don't have a minister to ordain us. We want to get married today."

"Um, I'll see if I can find someone. If not, you're going to have to wait a little while," Finch replied.

It just so happened that Reid had walked by and heard the conversation.

"I can marry you," he said to Root and Shaw. "I'm an ordained minister."

"Really?" Root replied. "We'd love that."

"Hey Rossi!" Reid shouted to his co-worker. "Can we host a wedding at your mansion?"

"Tonight?" the older agent answered. "Yea, that'd be fine."

"Alright, Samantha and Sameen, you'll be getting married at Rossi's mansion tonight."

"Thank you!" Samantha said, kissing Reid on the cheek. "You and the whole team are invited. Of course Harold, John, and our friend Detective Fusco from back home in New York is on his way here now."

"Awesome! We'll see you tonight. Eight o'clock?"

"Sounds good."

* * *

At eight-thirty that evening, Reid was getting a little nervous. He had never ordained a lesbian wedding before and he didn't want to screw it up. What would Root and Shaw say?

"Samantha, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife to love and to hold, until death do you part?" Reid asked.

"I do," Root said.

"Do you, Sameen, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife to love and to hold, until death do you part?"

"I do," Shaw replied.

Reid pronounced them wife and wife, then the two women kissed and headed out to the dance floor.

It was one of the most normal nights the BAU had since the new threat had emerged. They weren't backing down and would not go down without a fight.

* * *

When Seaver and Gideon got home that evening, Phoebe and Stephen were already fast asleep. The babysitter had been watching TV and they paid her for watching the kids. The babysitter grabbed her things, said, "Thank you, have a good evening", then headed out the door and began walking home-three blocks away from the Gideon residence.

"Jay, I'm going on a leave of absence for a couple of months to work for the Department of Justice. They wanted me to work as a profiler there for a short time. I'll be back in November about a week before Thanksgiving. I start tomorrow," Seaver said.

"And when were you planning on telling me this?" Gideon replied, his tone a little harsher than normal.

"Jay, I'm sorry. It just came to my mind now. I was going to tell you a few days ago, but I forget."

"You seem to be forgetting a lot of things. You keep shutting me out."

"I am not shutting you out!"

"Yes you are! Whenever I talk about Will, you tense up and shut me out!"

"In case you forgot, I was held hostage by that psycho! He hired someone to kidnap me and then I find out my boyfriend was cheating on me! I'm sorry if I didn't act like I normally do!"

Gideon pulled his wife close and kissed her. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little more stressed than I normally am."

"I'm sorry, too," Seaver replied.

Their clothes tumbled onto the floor into piles as soon as the couple started walking backwards down the hall towards their bedroom.


	91. A devastating injury

"The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for the cities of Quantico, Triangle, and Fredericksburg," someone said on the TV.

Emily had been cleaning up from dinner when she heard the news story. Hotch was upstairs putting Cynthia down for the night and Jack was in the bathroom.

Emily immediately picked up her cell phone and dialed JJ, Garcia, Kate, Seaver, Strauss, Blake, and Joyner. The women would tell their spouses the news.

"Listen," Emily said. "There's a tornado warning. It applies to Fredericksburg, Triangle, and Quantico. Go underground."

The women responded that they would go into their basements.

"Aaron!" Emily shouted to her husband after she finished the phone call. "It's important!"

He immediately came running down the stairs. "What's up, Em?"

"We're in the middle of a tornado warning," she said. "We need to grab our things and get downstairs. I already called our co-workers and they're going to take shelter."

Aaron immediately headed upstairs to grab a bag and throw clothes in it, along with their laptops, chargers, and guns and credentials. Emily was busy grabbing the kids' things. Hotch took the suitcases downstairs to the basement and headed to the living room, one of the only rooms that was windowless. Emily grabbed Jack and Cynthia and took them into the basement. The Hotchners gathered in the living room and huddled against the wall, pulling a mattress over them to protect themselves in case their house was ripped off its foundation.

Within a couple of minutes, the tornado sirens went off, a loud wailing noise. Cynthia started crying and Emily pulled her daughter closer to her.

There was a faint sound that was like a freight train, but it sounded like it was far away. Hotch made sure a radio was turned on to listen to weather reports from the Weather Service.

* * *

After about fifteen minutes, a report came in saying it was safe to come out from the basement. Emily and Hotch walked up the stairs to find their house completely untouched. Not a single thing was moved or broken. They felt very lucky to have been spared by the tornado.

Emily opened the front door to find the storm clouds going away and the blue sky reappearing. Quantico appeared to look relatively undamaged by the storm. Hotch immediately turned on the TV to the local news channel.

"Quantico and Fredericksburg residents are lucky to have been spared by an EF4 tornado that ripped through parts of Triangle. At least ten people are dead and hundreds of homes have been damaged and/or destroyed," the reporter said. "20 other people are still missing."

"Oh no…" Emily mumbled. "JJ! She lives in Triangle!"

Hotch felt himself turning white. What if something terrible had happened to her and Reid and their children?

The phone rang, and Emily didn't even bother to check the caller ID.

"Hello?" the brunette asked.

"Emily…" a voice replied. It was JJ.

"JJ! Oh my gosh, I heard the tornado ripped through Triangle! Are you and Reid and your family ok?"

"Not exactly. Reid was caught in the storm. He was at the grocery store when the twister hit."

"No! He can't be dead!" Emily exclaimed.

"I don't even know if he's at the hospital. I'm going to head over there now," JJ replied. "I hope he's there and not one of the 20 other people still missing."

The call ended and Emily felt crying. She told Hotch that it was unknown whether Reid was alive or dead.

* * *

JJ pulled her car up to the Quantico Hospital. She hurried into the reception area.

"Hi, I'm looking for a Spencer Reid?" JJ asked. "He was caught in the tornado."

"Yes, we do have a Spencer Reid here," the receptionist said. "But I'm afraid he's not well. His doctor will tell you the news."

A young man appeared a minute or two later.

"Mrs. Reid?" the man asked. "I'm Doctor Langley, and I'm taking care of your husband."

"Is he alive?" JJ questioned.

"Yes, but he's in very critical condition. I'm sorry, but he's in a coma."

"What?"

"Your husband was injured by debris. It caused a massive head injury, causing him to fall into the coma. Unfortunately, we don't know if he will ever wake up from this injury. Because of the severity of the injury-if he wakes up-there's a 50 percent chance he will be in Persistive Vegetative State."

When JJ learned of how bad Reid was injured, she began to sob. Her husband might never wake up from his injury and if he did, there was a huge possibility that he would never be able to do anything again. She followed the doctor to Reid's room, where he was hooked to a machine with multiple IV lines and bandages around his head. She pulled up a chair and sat down next to his bed, taking ahold of his hand and squeezing it. He did not respond to her movement and JJ felt like he was never going to get better.

* * *

Later that day, the rest of the team gathered at Rossi's mansion. The death toll climbed to twenty-five and five other people were still missing. JJ and Reid's house had been ripped to shreds by the twister.

The phone rang and Rossi hurried over to it.

"Rossi residence," he said.

"Dave…" JJ replied, crying. "It's me."

"JJ, what's wrong?"

"It's...it's Reid. He was severely injured in the storm and he's in a coma. There's a huge chance he may never wake up and if he does, he might be a vegetable."

Rossi gasped in horror. "Oh my gosh, JJ, I'm so sorry. We'll be over there right now."

The rest of the team looked at Rossi, wondering what the situation was.

"It's Reid," Rossi said. "He's been injured. He's in a coma."

The team hurried out to their cars and headed off to the hospital.

* * *

At the hospital, the team supported JJ. They stayed in Reid's room, comforting his wife and children.

"I wanted to share some news with you all," Emily said. "Reid is going to be an uncle and I really want to tell him."

"You're…" JJ began.

"I'm pregnant."

The team embraced her and JJ told the news to the comatose-Spencer. Joyner announced that she had an ultrasound two days before and said the gender of her and Jessica's baby was a boy.

The team prayed for their co-worker, pleading that he would come back to them not as a vegetable. It was going to be a long road to recovery ahead.


	92. Injury Complications

**AN: Back in school! :(**

* * *

Finch stared at his computer screen. The Machine had sent him a message saying that it had located Prophet.

"Mr. Hotchner," Finch said. "I have a location on Agent Simms."

"You do?" Hotch asked. "Where is he?"

"He's in a warehouse on the outskirts of Quantico."

It had been two weeks since the tornado. JJ was struggling to focus on her job. Reid still hadn't woken up from his coma. The doctors were telling JJ that his chances of ever waking up were at 20 percent.

"Don't tell me that!" JJ had shouted at her husband's doctor. "He's a fighter. He will come back to me."

But she watched her husband slowly start to fade away. She would arrive at the hospital and break down crying having to watch Spencer just lay in a hospital bed and remaining motionless. But tonight after work-while she was at the hospital-she noticed that something was different about Reid. She gently took his hand and squeezed it. After a few moments, he squeezed her hand back.

"Oh my gosh…" JJ said, unable to finish. Reid was actually responding to her movements! "Reid! Honey, it's me, JJ!"

She saw his eyes open for the first time in two weeks. He turned his head slowly to the left and looked over at his wife.

"Who...are you?" he said, struggling a bit to speak.

"Spencer," she replied. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here, Baby. I won't leave your side."

He manages to smile, but he looks like he's in pain.

The doctor and a nurse entered the room about a minute later.

"Good to see that you're awake, Mr. Reid," the doctor said. "How are you feeling on a scale of one to ten?"

"Nine…" Reid continued to strain himself to speak.

"Alright. It looks like there's been damage to his brain near the frontal lobe and near the bottom of his brain in an area known as the Fusiform," the doctor said.

"What?"

"Mr. Reid is having some problems with speaking, which can happen due to a severe head injury. I'm sorry to tell you this, but he has a condition known as Prosopagnosia. It's a condition more commonly known as facial blindness."

"What is this condition?"

"It means that Spencer cannot recognize faces. He will know by something else such as clothing, hair style or color, or their voice. Spencer will most likely recognize you by your voice or your hair."

"Is this condition treatable?"

"We're not sure. The chances of him ever regaining the facial recognition ability is very slim. We're going to have to keep him in the ICU for a long time until he's well enough to go home. He's not going to be able to go out into the field for a very long time. There's about a 30 percent chance that he may never be able to work in the FBI again."

JJ felt like crying. She thought things seemed to getting better, but now it seemed like Spencer was never going to get better.

Hotch walked into the room about an hour later to tell JJ that Prophet had been rescued. He had absolutely no memory of the FBI or anything. Greer and Martine had also been found hiding in the same warehouse and were taken into custody. Finch told the two FBI teams that a supercomputer was planning on destroying them all. Rossi, Morgan, Cooper, and Beth were all going to Samaritan's location and destroying the computer once and for all. With Greer and Martine in custody, the team was getting closer to finding out who Reese's kidnappers were and putting an end to them.

"Hotch," JJ said to her boss. "Reid's awake, but there's been some developments. Reid now has damage to the speech section of his brain and is suffering from a condition known as Facial Blindness. He cannot recognize our faces, but he can tell who we are by something like clothes or hair."

"That's terrible," Hotch replied. "Is the condition treatable?"

"The doctors don't know. There's a 30 percent chance that Spencer will never be able to recognize another face again. There's also the possibility that he might never be able to work for the BAU again."

Hotch gasped. The job meant everything to Reid. What was going to happen if he couldn't work anymore?

* * *

Meg and Markayla decided to have a sleepover at the Callahan residence. The two girls needed a break from looking over their shoulder all the time to prevent another kidnapping. Meg was still traumatized by her ordeal for being held hostage for months. She would suffer an episode of PTSD at night sometimes and wake up screaming.

* * *

That night, Rossi invited everyone over to his mansion for some music and food. Kate and Chris stayed behind to look after Meg and Markayla. JJ declined the offer because she wanted to stay by Spencer's side. Everyone else headed over to the Rossi mansion to find Rossi looking through his music. He wasn't letting anyone pick the music after what happened last time (Garcia buying 'Sexyback' and playing that song).

Garcia spotted her co-worker over at his laptop looking through his Itunes music.

"Can I pick a song?" she asked.

"No! Not after the one you picked last time," he replied.

"Oh, come on, it was funny."

"No it wasn't. You also better not suggest 'Talk Dirty' either. Hotch had that song as his ringtone and he was completely embarrassed."

"Fine," Garcia replied. "If you insist, I will leave your music alone."

Rossi started playing a classical song, which everyone else-including Erin-looked incredibly bored. Even Hotch was showing signs of uninterest.

"Come on, classical music is nice to listen to," Rossi said, trying to reason with his co-workers.

"It's nice, but now is not the time to play that kind of music," Garcia replied. "Please, I won't play an embarrassing songs. We want something more upbeat."

He stepped aside and let Garcia take over the music.

_Take me to your best friend's house_

_Roll around this roundabout_

_Oh yeah_

_Take me to your best friend's house_

_I loved you then and I love you now_

_Oh yeah_

_Don't take me tongue tied_

_Don't wave no goodbye_

"Um…" Hotch said. "It's a good song, but it's not upbeat enough."

"Alright," Garcia replied. "Give me a second…"

_Uh, thinkin' out loud_

_I must have a quarter million on me right now_

_Hard to make a song 'bout somethin' other than the money_

_Two things I'm 'bout is talkin' blunt and staying blunted_

_Pretty women, are you here? Are you here right now, huh?_

_We should all disappear right now_

_Look, you're gettin' all your friends and you're gettin' in the car_

_And you're comin' to the house, are we clear right now, huh?_

_You see the fleet of all the new things_

_Cop cars with the loose change_

_All white like I move things_

_See me rollin' and their mood change_

_Like a -_

_New flow, I got a dozen of 'em_

_I don't trust you, you are undercover_

_I could probably make some step-sisters - each other_

_Talkin' filets with the truffle butter_

_Fresh sheets and towels, man she gotta love it_

_Yeah, they all get what they desire from it_

_What, tell them - we ain't hidin' from it_

"Noooo!" Emily exclaimed, her face turning red. "I have that song at home. It's really disturbing."

Garcia tried a third time, and this time she got positive responses from her co-workers.

_You look so perfect standing there_

_In my American Apparel underwear_

_And I know now, that I'm so down_

_Your lipstick stain is a work of art_

_I got your name tattooed in an arrow heart_

_And I know now, that I'm so down (hey!)_

The team had an excellent time at the Rossi mansion. They enjoyed their time away from work. And Jack enjoyed time away from having to do his homework. Now that he was in middle school, the homework load had increased.

* * *

Songs used:

Tongue Tied by Grouplove

Truffle Butter by Nicki Minaj

She Looks so Perfect by 5 Seconds of Summer


	93. Agent Martin

**AN: Two chapters left! Thanks for your reviews, favorites, and follows!**

* * *

The man only known as George looked at himself in the mirror after arriving at the Penitentiary located in Washington, D.C. He was here to see his mother. He had the same blood type as she did, so he was an eligible donor. He was going to donate some blood to help his mother get rid of her Leukemia. She deserved to be in a hospital with excellent treatment, but instead she was rotting away in prison for trying to help her partner take down the BAU. She had been sentenced to life in prison also for escaping and attempted to kidnap a federal agent.

When George arrived at the prison, he saw his mother sitting at one of the cafeteria tables. Her brown hair had started getting really thin and she was starting to lose it due to chemotherapy.

"Hi Mom," he said. "Are you doing ok?"

"Not really," she replied. "I'm losing my hair. I want to avenge your father's death and get justice."

"Mother, I don't know if you will get justice. Father is dead and there is nothing we can do to bring him back. We will just have to finish what we started."

"You can't break me out of prison. They'll kill me," she said. "I'm already dying. This seems like the more peaceful way to go instead of being shot down in a hail of gunfire."

"Whatever you say, Mother," George replied. "But here, I have the blood. This should help you."

"Thank you, son," was Beth's answer. "You're the only family I have left."

* * *

Emily opened the fridge one Saturday afternoon to grab some strawberries. Garcia had wanted a package from the Farmer's Market to make some pie. Since the Morgans' only lived a few blocks away from the Hotchners', Emily decided to walk over to her co-workers' house and get some exercise. However, about two blocks from the house, she was suddenly stopped by someone.

"Hello, miss, but are those delicious strawberries?" the man asked.

Emily smiled. But then she heard his voice and instantly froze inside. She knew exactly who was talking to her.

"Yes they are, but I have to go," Emily said, getting a bad gut feeling that whatever was about to happen would not be good. The brunette started to walk away, but before she could take three steps, the man grabbed her wrist, stopping her from walking.

"Hey! Let go of me!"

"You really shouldn't have come this way. You know that someone will want to buy that delicious fruit," Agent Martin said.

"Well, I'm sorry, but this fruit is not for sale and that's final. Now, let go of my wrist or I will call the FBI right now."

Emily wrenched her wrist free, but that action caused her to drop the package of strawberries, the lid popping open and the fruit spilling onto the road. She was shocked and upset. She became paralyzed with fear.

"Look what you did," Agent Martin sneered, grabbing Emily's wrist again and prevented her from running away. "Now I won't be getting any fruit. I guess I should help you clean that mess up."

He used his other hand to gently caress her face. Emily felt disgusted and was freaking out. No one but Hotch could touch her face like that.

"Get your hands off of me!" Emily snapped, breaking free of his grasp and running down the block towards home. Agent Martin just laughed and walked towards his house.

Emily didn't stop running, not bothering to look behind her to see if anyone was following her. Her tears were falling as she headed up the pathway to the front door.

Meanwhile, Hotch had just slowed the car down to pull into the driveway and saw that Emily was crying. He knew something was wrong and wanted to know what was making her cry.

He got out of the car, locked it, then headed into the house and saw Emily washing her skirt with cold water.

Walking over to his wife, he said, "What's wrong?"

Emily just continued to cry. Hotch gently grabbed onto her shoulders and turned her around so that she face him.

"What happened?" Hotch asked. He then noticed her pink skirt had traces of red on it. "What happened to the skirt?"

"I'm fine, Aaron," Emily replied. "It was an accident."

"What's going on? You're almost never this upset."

"I dropped the strawberries. They spilled over all my skirt and fell into the road."

"It's ok, Em, we can always get another package. But you'd never be upset over dropping fruit."

"I should have just given him the-"

"Him?" Now Hotch was getting concerned. "Do you mean one of the agents?"

She nodded. "It was Martin."

"What happened?"

"I was walking to Garcia's and Martin stopped me. I didn't know if I should have grabbed my gun or not."

"Why didn't you just continue walking?"

"I couldn't…" Emily said, her throat starting to close up. The tears started to come back. He grabbed my wrist and touched my face."

Hotch was now very angry. "Agent Martin touched you?"

Emily just continued to cry, unable to answer. Hotch put his hand underneath her chin and looked her in the eyes.

"Agent Martin put his hands on you?"

Emily quickly nodded. Hotch was furious. He immediately headed out to the car with Emily calling his name.

* * *

Hotch's anger continued to boil. How dare someone touch his wife! He would make sure Agent Martin learned his lesson well.

The Unit Chief pulled his black car into Martin's driveway. The profiler headed up to the front door and knocked. Martin opened the front door to find a slightly angry FBI agent standing on the front porch with his arms crossed.

"Agent Hotchner," Martin said. "Come in."

"This isn't a social call in any way," Hotch replied. He was now getting even more upset. "I want to know why you put your hands on my wife."

Martin just smirked at the Unit Chief.

"Oh, that was THE Mrs. Hotchner? I didn't realize that," the agent said.

"Yes you knew," Hotch snapped. "She even showed you her wedding ring a year ago when you stopped her at work. I gave you a chance and you blew it."

Hotch erupted in anger. He attacked Martin and punched him in the face until he passed out from the pain. The Unit Chief called his co-workers and Martin was soon after arrested. He would be taken to the hospital to see how badly he was injured, then taken off to jail without his credentials or badge.

* * *

George Clemmons-LaMontagne headed back to the warehouse where Dominic was. George had finished up with the blood donation and he was now ready to receive his new mission.

Dominic saw the vehicle pull up and greeted the man.

"Did everything go as planned?" Dominic asked.

"Yes," George said. "My mother got the donation. I came back as quickly as I could without arousing suspicion."

"Excellent. Since Agent Simms has been rescued by the FBI, you will be taking his place on my team. We've lost Greer, Martine, and Lambert. I promise you that we get justice for your father."


	94. The Final Showdown

George tapped his fingers together excitedly as he listened to Dominic's plan. It was time for the final showdown between the unsubs and the BAU, as well as getting justice for Will's death. George knew that there was nothing he could do to bring his father back to life, but the son knew he could get the relief he needed. Hotch was getting a bullet to the head once George cornered him and left the option of escape impossible.

* * *

It was another dreary morning in Quantico. Clouds had settled in the sky and the threat of thunderstorms and rain were very likely that day. It was also going to be another tiring day because the person who had sent Strauss a note-nicknamed the "L.A. Stalker" was still unknown and still out in the world somewhere, most likely in the city. After getting to work, Garcia immediately began continuing her searching for yesterday for any signs of the "L.A Stalker".

Suddenly, she came across an article that had some interesting evidence inside.

"Oh my gosh…" the TA said, completely astounded. She knew she needed to tell the team what she had found. She headed into the bullpen to find the team pouring over the case.

"I found an article you might want to hear," Garcia said. "Beth Clemmons has Leukemia and had a recent visitor yesterday morning."

"Really?" JJ asked. "Who was it?"

"Beth's son George."

"That psycho has a kid?!" Hotch exclaimed.

"I did some research and found that this 'George' had booked a flight to Los Angeles around the same time as we did. George is twenty years old and seems to live off the grid. I think we may have found our stalker and our unsub."

"I found something else!" Finch said excitedly. "The Machine has found the location of the warehouse where Agent Simms was held in. It's only fifteen minutes away from here."

"We're going out there now. Finch, text Garcia the coordinates and JJ, alert Strauss that we've found a possible location on our unsub."

JJ hurried off to the Section Chief's office to tell her the news of what was going on. Strauss said she was going to get a backup SWAT team along with them in case things didn't go as they were planned. The team grabbed their weapons and hurried out to the parking lot to grab their cars and head to the warehouse. There wasn't a second to lose, especially if the team had just found out where their stalker was.

* * *

In the warehouse, George and Dominic were finishing up their plan when another figure entered. It was Agent Martin.

"Martin, good timing. George and I have finished the plan and we are ready to take down the BAU. Grab some weapons and head out to the car. It's time to take these agents down once and for all," Dominic said, motioning for the agent to come over to him. Martin and George grabbed some guns and were waiting by the front entrance. Little did they know that the BAU were already on their way and were only going to be a few minutes before they stormed the warehouse.

* * *

Five minutes later, the team had pulled up to the location and had their weapons drawn and ready to fire. They would not be going down without a fight and they wouldn't stop until every one of the unsubs was either dead or in prison.

Dominic had seen the agents exit their vehicles and immediately headed inside the warehouse to warn the others.

"We've got company! The BAU are here!" he shouted. The others got into position.

The SWAT team had just pulled up and were making a slow and tactical approach in order to carefully draw the unsub out. The police were on their way to help out with the case.

A shot rang out and immediately, everyone ducted. They weren't going to go down in a hail of gunfire.

Rossi noticed that there were at least three figures standing near the front of the warehouse blocking the entrance.

"Three at the front!" he shouted, alerting the other members.

JJ was the first to react. She fired off four shots, one of which knocked down someone at the front.

"Agent Martin!" she said to herself. "Traitor!"

Martin hissed in pain. He had been shot in the leg and now he was unable to fight.

"Agent, who did this to you?" Dominic asked, ducking to avoid all the shots being fired off.

"Agent Jareau-Reid," was the injured man's answer.

Dominic spotted several agents starting to storm the warehouse. He began firing off bullets, but they missed the agents. JJ shot Dominic in the stomach with Hotch shooting him in the leg. The African-American man fell to the ground, the gun dropping out of his hands. JJ and Hotch pointed their weapons at him and told him not to move.

Outside, the police had arrived on scene as well as three ambulances. Agent Martin was arrested and taken out to the hospital to have his knee fixed up. Martin would soon have his badge taken away and fired from the FBI and taken to prison for collaborating with an unsub. Dominic was going to need surgery if he was to survive to spend the rest of his life behind bars for creating a criminal organization and threatening the lives of the BAU. But George was nowhere to be seen. The profilers figured that he was hiding somewhere, probably planning something bigger. Emily, Rossi, and Morgan headed off into the warehouse with Blake, Kate, and three SWAT officers as backup. Gideon, Seaver, and the newest agent, Tia Canning, headed off towards the back of the warehouse. Tia had joined last week, but she had been on an undercover mission for the CIA the whole time and today was her first official day working with Hotch's team.

Meanwhile, George had armed himself with a semi-automatic rifle and prepared to shoot an anyone who came by. He saw a blond agent slowly passing by his hiding spot and quickly jumped out and grabbed her.

"Help!" Seaver shouted. George had pulled her into a headlock, causing her Glock 17 to fall on to the ground. Gideon heard the weapon drop and knew that something was wrong.

He and Tia hurried into the room to find Seaver trapped in a headlock with the unsub pointed a loaded gun at her head. Gideon was scared; he didn't want to lose his wife. Not after losing Elle. He didn't want to be widowed for the second time.

"George…" Gideon said. "We know everything. We know you stalked us back in LA because you want justice for your father's death. We know you visited your mother in prison yesterday. We know about her Leukemia."

"My father died because of you agents!" George snapped angrily. "You agents killed him!"

The others began to arrive on scene, guns pointed in front of them and ready to fire. When the agents saw that Seaver was currently being held hostage, they began to formulate a plan.

"Let Agent Seaver go and we can talk about this," Hotch said calmly. "She had nothing to do with this. It's between you and me."

"No!" George exclaimed. "I have to take her with me. You will suffer!"

A SWAT officer had snuck up behind him and shot him in the head. George fell to the ground, causing Seaver to scream and recoil. She was absolutely frightened that the bullet might have hit her. But she seemed to be fine.

"It's finally over," Hotch said. "It's finally over."

The members of the Brotherhood were arrested and taken away. A week later, Martin and Dominic were released from the hospital, where they were put into separate prison cells and started to serve their sentences. They wouldn't be coming anywhere near the FBI ever again.


	95. The Finale: Happily Ever After

**AN: Wow, it's hard to believe that this story has made it this far! Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. This is the final chapter of the story, which is set five years after Chapter 94 ends. Thank you guys so much for your reviews and likes, I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy this epilogue! :)**

**Also, I introduce the newest team member, who will make her first appearance on the show on the Season 11 premiere on September 30.**

* * *

Emily opened her eyes after a restful night's sleep. As the alarm clock sounded, she yawned and stretched her arms. Today was her 50th birthday and there was going to be a big party at the Rossi mansion later that day. Everyone in the family, on the team- including Finch's team and the San Francisco BAU-had been invited to the party. Emily was looking forward to her special day.

Aaron stirred beside his wife and gave her a good-morning kiss.

"Happy Birthday, Sweetheart," he said. "I love you."

"Love you too," she replied. "And yes, I know what you're thinking about. I would love to do that, but I'm starving and we've got to get ready for the party at twelve. Tonight, though, I'm all yours."

"Looking forward to it. And yes, you're right. We should get some breakfast and see how the others are."

The couple kissed again, then got out of bed and headed down to their children's rooms. Jack was now 16 years old and in his sophomore year of high school. He had dreams of working in the FBI like his father. The teen was wide-awake and looking at Instagram photos. He smiled at his stepmother when she walked into his room.

"Hi Mom, happy birthday," he said, getting out of bed and giving her a hug.

"Thank you," she replied. "How long have you been awake for?"

"Not long," was his response. "Harvey was just messaging me. I wanted to see his latest photo."

Harvey was one of Jack's best friends. The two had been friends since third grade and they often hung out at each other's house and after school. They also went to the same middle school and were at the same high school.

Jack put his phone away and headed out to the kitchen to start getting breakfast ready. It was November 21, a bright and beautiful Saturday morning. He was on Thanksgiving break and would have a week to complete the four homework assignments he had been given. Jack hated getting homework over breaks, considering that he got lots of assignments throughout the year.

Cynthia was now six years old and had finished two months of first grade already. She was a happy and bright little girl who was really looking a lot more like Emily. Cynthia had her father's black hair color, but she had Emily's hair length and thickness. The little girl had her father's dimples and her mother's eyes.

"Hi sweetie," Hotch said to his daughter. He picked her off the bed and spun her around. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, Daddy," Cynthia replied. "I wanna go to Mommy's party at Uncle Dave's house!"

"We will. We just have to wait a few more hours."

Cynthia headed down to the dining room to take a seat in her chair. Hotch decided to help Jack make breakfast for the family.

Emily headed into Cynthia's room to get her other daughter. Their third and final child was an excited four-year-old. She looked a lot more like Hotch.

The little girl's name was Tiffany Leanna Hotchner. She loved her family very much and enjoyed playing with her friends. She would be starting kindergarten next year.

The family enjoyed a delicious breakfast of chocolate-chip pancakes with bacon and strawberries. After the meal was over, Jack headed back to his room to talk with Harvey, while Cynthia and Tiffany decided to watch TV in their room. Hotch and Emily had the living room all to themselves and decided to binge-watch _CSI: Crime Scene Investigation_ until it was time to leave for the Rossi mansion.

* * *

The mansion looked ready for a birthday party. The driveway had been cleared to allow the guests to park their cars instead of on the street. Unfortunately, some people would have to because there would be a lot of guests attending the party. The gate was opened to allow the guests to go into the backyard. There were speakers and platters of food with covers on them so that flies wouldn't infect the food.

Hotch, Emily, Jack, Cynthia, and Tiffany were the first guests to arrive at the mansion. Rossi was excited to see them and immediately picked up Tiffany and began tickling her. Cynthia gave her uncle a hug, then headed over to her half-brother.

Erin came out of the house with seven-year-old Alyse, five-year-old Lauren, and three-year-old Anthony Leonard. Erin and Rossi had adopted Anthony when he was just a year old because he was an orphan. He was in poverty over in West Africa and had no running water or food to eat. Anthony was soon brought back to the States, where Erin and Rossi became his adoptive parents. He was given the proper medical treatment and was now a healthy little boy. When he was a little older, Erin and Rossi would tell him what happened to his biological parents.

Cynthia and Tiffany immediately ran over to Lauren and Alyse. The four girls headed over to the swingset and began playing on it. Anthony ran over to his sisters and wanted to play with them, but they didn't allow him. The boy started to cry and ran over to Rossi.

"What's wrong, Buddy?" Dave asked, picking up his son.

"Sissies no fair," Anthony said. "No pway with them."

Rossi handed the boy to Erin, while he went over to his two daughters.

"Lauren, Alyse, come here please," he said.

The girls got off the swingset and walked over to their father. He didn't look very happy.

"Why are you not letting your brother on the swingset?" Rossi asked his oldest.

"Because he's a boy," Alyse said. "It's the girls turn."

"Alyse Rossi, you're going to be in big trouble. Let your brother on the swingset and be fair."

"Alright."

Anthony was able to play on the swingset and the girls treated him fairly. Within a couple of minutes, more voices were heard. Tiffany clapped her hands when she saw the Morgans enter the backyard. Hotch was lying on a towel by the pool with his sunglasses on. He had decided to get a suntan. However, Emily decided to fool around with him.

She wore a red-and-white two-piece swimsuit and quietly snuck up behind Hotch. Using her strength, she pushed him into the pool, startling him.

The adults and Jack started laughing once Hotch came back to the surface. He had a playful glare on his face and got out of the pool. Quick as a flash, he scooped Emily up and threw her in the pool as his revenge.

"Aaron!" she teased.

He just smiled and looked at his wife. Even at 50, she was still as gorgeous as when he had met her years ago. They were getting closer to their 10-year anniversary every passing day.

Derek and Garcia were carrying tubs of French Vanilla and Neapolitan ice cream. Andy was now six years old and looking more like his father every day. The Morgans' had a little girl-Karen Denise-and she was almost five. She had her mother's hair and father's eyes. Garcia and Morgan had decided to stop having children because the family was happy with their son and daughter. Andy and Karen joined their friends over at the swingset, but Rossi told the children that everyone had to take turns because there was a weight limit.

Garcia took off her swimsuit coverup and jumped off the diving board, accidentally splashing Hotch. Morgan turned around for a minute and saw a blue Audi pulling into the driveway.

"Gideon's here," he said. Derek took the ice cream tubs into the house and headed back outside to grab a can of Sprite.

Gideon and Seaver entered the backyard and brought their food, which was Ashley's grandmother's famous Pistachio salad. The salad could be eaten with first course, or it could be eaten as dessert.

Stephen and Phoebe were now heading into first and second grade. They weren't too excited about school, but they knew they were going to have to do it until they were at least 18.

Seaver and Gideon had welcomed a beautiful boy into the world three-and-a-half years ago. His name was Jeffrey Greg. He looked like the perfect combination of Jason and Ashley. It had been almost eight years since Elle had passed and Jason still grieved for her. He would always have a special place in his heart for her.

Next to arrive at the mansion were Sean Hotchner and his two cousins. Sean had left Nebraska shortly after the twister destroyed his house and had moved to Baltimore, where he still was currently living. His two cousins-Madison and Brian-were successful lawyers who were sometimes put onto the same cases as Hotch and the team worked on.

"Hey, Sis," Sean said to Emily, giving her a hug. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks, Sean," she replied. "Glad you make it."

He nodded, then immediately headed over to the platters of food and picked up a piece of pepperoni pizza.

"Wow, Rossi, this is amazing! Did you make it?" Sean asked.

"Yep," Dave said. "It's a family recipe."

Within the next half hour, the Callahans', Reids', and Emily's family had arrived. Kate hadn't had any complications since regaining the ability to walk. Meg was now 18 and in her senior year of high school. She was planning on going to University to become a CSI for the Quantico Police Department. Catherine was a healthy little girl who had dreams of playing baseball when she got older. Kate planned on telling her daughter who her surrogate mother was when she 10 or 11. The girl was still a little young to understood what had happened to her biological mother. Chris was now working in Triangle as a psychologist. He had also made a full recovery from his near-death gunshot wound that Meg still had been unable to forgive herself for. If Chris had died, Meg would be even more depressed and upset.

Emily's family hadn't changed much. Daniel was working as a pediatrician for the local hospital and Nancy was working as the seventh-grade English teacher at Quantico Middle School. Evelyn had gotten married three months ago to her best friend Leonard, an intelligent CIA agent who had been working there for over twenty-five years.

But the Reid family had changed quite a bit over the last five years. Henry was in first grade and his hair had started to get a bit darker. Alicia was currently into figure skating and had a dream of making it to the Olympics.

JJ had dyed her a very light brown-not too many shades away from her natural color. She had completely healed from her ear injury-she could hear perfectly fine out of her left ear. The only thing she had was a small scar from where the doctors had fixed her injury.

Reid, however, had made a huge recovery since his devastating injury after having a piece of wood lodged in his head. During the tornado that had destroyed the Reid household, Spencer had been knocked unconscious by a window frame and landed on top of a small piece of wood lying on the ground. It had damaged some parts of the bottom of his brain.

For almost ten months, Reid had been in a medically-induced coma to allow his brain to heal. JJ had to hire a babysitter to look after Henry and Alicia while she went to work to support herself, her family, and pay for the medical bills. After close to a year in a coma, Reid was brought out of it. The speech section of his brain had healed enough that he wasn't having trouble talking. However, at the Fusiform section, the injury hadn't completely healed. The doctors had told Reid that his diagnosis of Facial Blindness was irreversible and there was nothing they could do to heal him. For the past four years, Reid was adjusting to life without being able to recognize faces. It pained him everyday when he headed into work. He would see people's faces for a couple of seconds, then the image would fade away and he wouldn't be able to remember them. Reid hadn't told the team-excluding JJ and Hotch-about his irreversible condition. He planned on telling everyone once the rest of the guests arrived.

Soon after, Tia Canning and their newest member, Doctor Tara Lewis, had pulled up in front of the mansion. Tara was a forensic psychologist who had worked for a different branch in the FBI. She studied criminals after they were caught. But now, she was a very important member on Hotch's team.

Jessica and Joyner arrived next. Matthew was looking a lot more like Grant. The boy knew that his father was never coming back, but he was still a little young to understand what had really happened. The couple had welcomed twins almost four-and-a-half years ago-Rachel Summer and Landon Mark.

The last of Hotch's team arrived nearly an hour after the party started. Alex and Kari had brought their three children-Patrick, Sara, and Melinda-along with them, as well as a large present complete with a red bow. Andi Swann-Lynch and Kevin managed to squeeze the party into their busy schedule, complete with their jobs and looking after their son Jerry.

The San Francisco BAU and Finch's team arrived next. The flights had been delayed a few minutes, so it had taken the two teams a little extra time to get to the house.

Sam Cooper was still the leader of his team-known as the Red Cell. Gina LaSalle had married Mick Rawson just over two years ago. Beth Griffith was currently dating Prophet. The latter was still suffering from his memory wipe. He was taking medication to help with his memories and hopefully would be able to bring them back soon.

Harold and John hadn't changed much, considering that they were still working with The Machine to help save lives and bring down criminals. Shaw and Root had just celebrated their five-year anniversary a few weeks and had recently been thinking about starting a family. NYPD Detective Lionel Fusco had also managed to come to Quantico and had gotten to know Hotch's team. Lionel was currently engaged to another detective in the department-Jocelyn Carter, or "Joss" for short.

It was time for the party to officially begin since everyone invited was at the mansion. No one was thinking about Will, Beth, George, Ryan, Greer, Martine, Lambert, Samaritan, or The Brotherhood. All the unsubs were either dead or were currently rotting away in prison serving a life sentence with no chance of parole. Instead, the three teams were thinking about Emily's party and how great their lives had been for the past five years.

Garcia had taken over the music station and would be in charge of editing songs while they played-skipping over inappropriate words or phrases.

She headed over to the DJ booth and borrowed Kate Callahan's phone because her Spotify playlist had all the excellent music on it. No one wanted to listen to classical music at a party. It was time to bring out the hip-hop and pop. Maybe there would even be some songs played that weren't in English.

Garcia randomly selected a song and the music immediately began to play.

**(Madness by Cascada feat Tris)**

_Let me be the method to the madness_

_The reason for your crazy, crazy, crazy_

_We'll be making perfect sense of this mess_

_I know that we can make it, make it, make it_

_Let me be the method to the madness_

_The reason for your crazy, crazy, crazy_

_No one in the world will understand us_

_But look how far we've made it, made it_

_Made it through the madness_

The guests were ok with the song, but weren't entirely impressed. Garcia changed the song, and immediately, the adults went crazy because-for most of them-they had heard this song as children.

**(Funkytown by Lipps Inc.)**

_Gotta make a move to a_

_town that's right for me_

_Town to keep me movin'_

_Keep me groovin' with some energy_

_Well, I talk about it_

_Talk about it_

_Talk about it_

_Talk about it_

_Talk about, Talk about_

_Talk about movin_

After about a half hour, the teams decided to take a break from swimming and music to enjoy some delicious pizza. Reid was going to tell everyone about his condition.

"I have some news," Spencer said. "It's not the best, but I thought you all should know. JJ and Hotch know already."

Emily grabbed ahold of her husband's hand, preparing for the worst.

"I have an irreversible and incurable condition known as Facial Blindness," Reid said. "It happened when I was injured in the tornado that nearly cost me my life."

The teams were silent, unable to speak. They couldn't believe that a dear friend of theirs said he had a condition that doctors were unable to fix.

"Basically, I cannot recognize or remember faces," Reid continued. "I can tell who someone is by something like hair color, the sound of their voice, or their clothing. I can tell that JJ is setting next to me because I remember her hair color and can recognize her voice."

The guests felt very sorry for Spencer, knowing that his condition affected the people around him. But the party continued on with everyone talking about their families and enjoying Rossi's homemade pizza. The teams decided that they would eat cake after they went in the pool.

Hotch and Emily took turns in pushing each other into the room temperature swimming pool. Everyone was having a lot of fun, especially the younger ones. Hotch and Emily were going to spend a quiet evening at home tonight while Jack was spending the night at Harvey's house, and Cynthia and Tiffany were going to be have a sleepover with Alyse and Lauren.

As Emily sat back down at the table, a large cake was placed in front of her. The teams began singing "Happy Birthday" to her. Cameras began flashing and selfies were being taken. Emily blew out the candles and received another kiss from her husband. He took a piece of his cake and shoved it into her face. She did the same thing to him, both of them getting white buttercream icing on their faces.

The party ended up being one of the best that the Rossis' had ever thrown. Emily was never going to forget today and she certainly wasn't going to let memories of the unsubs ruin her special day.

* * *

That evening, Emily felt tired from swimming in the pool, but she always had a little bit of extra energy stored somewhere. She was looking forward to whatever Hotch had planned for the evening.

"The house is ours and just ours," Hotch said. "No kids tonight."

"I like what you say, Mr. Hotchner," Emily replied. "I agree with you."

"Hold on a sec, I have something for you."

He hurried down the hall and came back with a small wrapped box. She opened it and gasped.

It was a necklace with an opal in the center-her birthstone.

"Oh, Aaron…" Emily said. The necklace was so beautiful. It had reds, greens, and blues in it. On the back of the opal were the engraved words: Aaron &amp; Emily, married on March 18, 2006.

"It's beautiful," she continued. "I love it."

"I'm glad you do," Hotch said. "I thought you would."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Being my husband and the father of the children I've always wanted," Emily replied. "Thank you for loving me."

"You're welcome," Hotch answered. "And thank you for being my wife and the mother of our children."

She smiled, then set the necklace back in its package. "I'll put it on tomorrow."

"Fine by me." He took his wife's hand. "Follow me."

She followed him upstairs and smiled again because she knew what was coming.

"Is this my other birthday present?" she asked.

"100 percent."

After about an hour, she was completely exhausted. She ended up falling asleep after coming back from the shower and collapsing on the bed. Hotch settled down next to her and held her close to him.

As Emily slept, she dreamt about how lucky she was to have a family, a husband who loved her dearly, and co-workers who cared about her. She couldn't ask for more in her life.


End file.
